Plain Language Examples

1
AFTER What do I need to do? Complete all required continuing education hours. Go to www.dli.mn.gov. Click on the picture that says “DLI ReNew.” Follow the instructions and make any changes to your information. Pay your renewal fee with a credit card. Relax, your license is renewed! BEFORE Dear Mr. Sheldon: A billing in the amount of $43.68 was rendered to you to cover service from August 15, 2012 to September 15, 2012. The billing is incorrect, due to the September read being estimated. Your account has been corrected and we are enclosing the revised billing… AFTER Dear Mr. Sheldon: You recently received an estimated bill and asked us to check your meter because you thought the bill was incorrect. We sent a representative to your home and got a reading of your electric meter. You are right. The meter shows you used…. BEFORE In order to ensure that license renewals are processed promptly and efficiently, visit the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry’s website to renew a license online: www.dli.mn.gov. At the home page, select the “DLI ReNew icon (image of a crescent wrench) to begin your renwal. Personal licenses Online renewals for personal licenses are quick and automatic. Once you’ve completed your continuing education (if required), simply go to the DLI… BEFORE We intend to file a claim with the U.S. Treasury Offset Program for this amount. This federal program allows the Department of Revenue to claim your federal tax refunds and federal non-tax payments and apply them to your debt. Some non- tax payments, such as social security are ineligible for offset. The U.S. Treasury will only send us your payments that are offset by federal law… AFTER Because you still owe us an income tax debt, we intend to file a claim against payments you receive from the federal government. We will use those payments to reduce or pay the debt shown below. This is called an “offset.” What if I have a payment agreement? To collect your debt, we will file this claim even if you have a payment agreement. You must… FACT SHEET | Plain Language Examples Better Government for a Better Minnesota Governor Dayton’s Plain Language initiative directs all state agencies to use commonly understood language, write in clear and complete sentences, and reduce the use of jargon and acronyms that make state government nearly impossible to understand. The following are some examples of how using Plain Language can turn dense jargon into easy-to-understand language. Example #1 Example #2 Example #3

description

Government to use commonly understood language

Transcript of Plain Language Examples

  • AFTER

    What do I need to do? Complete all required continuing education

    hours. Go to www.dli.mn.gov. Click on the picture that says DLI ReNew. Follow the instructions and make any changes

    to your information. Pay your renewal fee with a credit card. Relax, your license is renewed!

    BEFORE

    Dear Mr. Sheldon:

    A billing in the amount of $43.68 was rendered to you to cover service from August 15, 2012 to September 15, 2012. The billing is incorrect, due to the September read being estimated.

    Your account has been corrected and we are enclosing the revised billing

    AFTER

    Dear Mr. Sheldon:

    You recently received an estimated bill and asked us to check your meter because you thought the bill was incorrect. We sent a representative to your home and got a reading of your electric meter.

    You are right. The meter shows you used.

    BEFORE

    In order to ensure that license renewals are processed promptly and efficiently, visit the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industrys website to renew a license online: www.dli.mn.gov. At the home page, select the DLI ReNew icon (image of a crescent wrench) to begin your renwal. Personal licenses Online renewals for personal licenses are quick and automatic. Once youve completed your continuing education (if required), simply go to the DLI

    BEFORE

    We intend to file a claim with the U.S. Treasury Offset Program for this amount. This federal program allows the Department of Revenue to claim your federal tax refunds and federal non-tax payments and apply them to your debt. Some non-tax payments, such as social security are ineligible for offset. The U.S. Treasury will only send us your payments that are offset by federal law

    AFTER

    Because you still owe us an income tax debt, we intend to file a claim against payments you receive from the federal government. We will use those payments to reduce or pay the debt shown below. This is called an offset.

    What if I have a payment agreement? To collect your debt, we will file this claim even if you have a payment agreement. You must

    FACT SHEET | Plain Language Examples Better Government for a Better Minnesota

    Governor Daytons Plain Language initiative directs all state agencies to use commonly understood language, write in clear and complete sentences, and reduce the use of jargon and acronyms that make state government nearly impossible to understand. The following are some examples of how using Plain Language can turn dense jargon into easy-to-understand language.

    Example #1

    Example #2

    Example #3