English-Only Policies in the Workplace
 

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/Busin..._031211-1.html

Speaking in Tongues
As More Immigrants Enter Work Force, English-Only Rules Come Into Question

By Catherine Valenti

Dec. 11 — While she was working at cosmetics store Sephora in New York City's Rockefeller Center, Leydis Rodriguez says she was prohibited from speaking Spanish at all times.

"We were not allowed to speak our native language on the floor … and on our lunch break," she says.

Rodriguez and four other women all say they were told to speak English on the job, including during their breaks, and that managers frequently mimicked their speech and accents.

"I would feel really bad, angry at them, and discriminated [against]," says Mariela Del Rosario, one of the women filing the suit.

When the store closed in August of 2002, Rodriguez and two of the women who spoke out about the English-only rule say they were not offered positions anywhere else in the company, and lost their jobs.

Now the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is suing Sephora on behalf of the women for instituting an "English-only" rule, which the commission says violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a rule that prohibits discrimination against workers based on their national origin, among other factors.

(*See link for the rest of the article)

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One thing I found interesting in the article was a company that implemented an English-only rule because the owners found out that the employees were cursing or speaking about inappropriate subjects in a different language (in this case, Navajo) while on the job. While I think that prohibiting employees from speaking in another language while taking their breaks is taking things too far, if they're still on the premesis during their break, they're still representing the company, and the employer does have the right to restrict what they talk about, no matter what language it's in.

So, what are your thoughts? (I'm especially interested in the opinions of people who speak another language fluently.)

While working they should speak English. On their breaks they should be able to speak any language.

Quoted cause I agree.

I agree while working they should have to speak English, and if on the premises and on their breaks they should have to speak English, once they leave the premises they can talk in whatever language they want.

-Mark

Quoted because I agree too. The managers should not have made fun of them though.

Heck, there are companies here where if you speak "Pittsburghese" you'll be reprimanded. Not that that is a bad thing. :)

I have supervisors at work that are black and they talk "white" (ETA: they do it b/c they think it is funny to make fun of the way white people talk, but they do it in a nasally voice) and I think it is funny. They also "make fun of me" b/c I sometimes have a very country accent, but I don't take offense and laugh at it, b/c I know it is the truth. They also "make fun of me" b/c I don't understand ebonics...whatever the correct nomenclature is for the slang that black people use. (I'm trying to avoid offending people here so please don't get mad at me)

I think those people are being hypersensitive about the managers "making fun of them" b/c think about it, if you can't laugh at yourself, who can you laugh at?

-Mark

I think it alienates the customer if the person helping them starts speaking in another language to someone else. For that reason, the primary language is the only one that should be spoken on the sales floor.

On the other hand, I think breaks are fine. People eat and take smoke breaks to relax and make themselves comfortable--what is different from speaking in one's home language? Customers aren't around.

While working, they should speak English. Even while talking to another associate on the sales floor they should speak English. While on break, they can speak their native language.

It depends where their "breaks" were at. If they are someplace where customers can still hear them, they should behave as if they were on the sales floor.

The same applies to if you are on your break from say McDonald's and are in the main seating area, picking your nose. :)

agreed in part
 

I believe as long as they are on the premises or in the capacity of their job..they should have to speak english.

Is this really such a burden??

I think they should speak English when they're on the floor or near the floor all the time, unless the customer they're serving does not speak it and speaks the language they speak. There is a hearing impaired person working at one of the GAP stores in Toronto, and I've seen her "speak" ASL (American Sign Language) to another hearing impared customer.

Agreed.

Not as simple a question as I wish....
 

The place I work in is literally a world-magnet for professionals. In one of my departments, you could walk in and here 5 different languages going at one time. (Spanish, English, Greek, Urdu, German--very occasionally Japanese, Swedish, and a dialect I can't remember the name of from Nigeria) But the only language that ALL of us had in common was English. So in order to simply function, whether in the clinic, or in the lab, or in the office, it had to be English as a practicality.

There's two areas where a multilingual standard can be a problem (keep in mind, I'm describing an academic hospital atmosphere):

1) In the clinic when dealing with patients. Our senior administration has gone around the mulberry bush a million times with balancing the "employees rights to speak whatever language they please" with "priority one is making the patient comfortable." Most of us at work agree we can't force the patient to be as accepting of our multicultural/lingual environment as we are (I posted about this in another thread....) Some people have just never been exposed to it and when they've already gotten the "you have cancer" talk, they have other things on their mind rather than multicultural correctness. So talking in a language other than English (or the first language of the patient) is going to make them even more scared and uncomfortable than they already are.

2) When there is or has been some personal conflict among an office group. This happened a few years ago in a department that was known for harboring "power mongers". Some people would speak a language not known to the entire group just to make their rivals uncomfortable. (I know this because I had a buddy translating for me during these little episodes.) If anyone complained, the guilty party would turn their palms skyward, roll their eyes and whine oh-so innocently, "But it's my RIGHT to speak my language....." In other words, they were exploiting their rights in order to trample on others.

Like I said in the other thread (I wish I could find the *&^ thing...) we have a VP of Diversity who is supposed to be a leader in finding solutions to the conflicts that come up when you have a variety of cultures, languages and customs in one place. Unfortunately, his modus operandi to date has been to run around w/ his hands in the air yelling (visualize "Special Ed" from Crank Yankers here) "Diversity Great! YEEEAAAAAAA!!!!"
If anyone expresses discomfort or conern about one of these conflicts (like mentioned in the first post, and in this one) they get a stern lecture about the value of diversity. Yo! Dude! How about solving the freakin' problem instead of sweeping it under that rug in your office???

I'm thinking it might take a Supreme Court review to firm up the regulations on issues like this.

</rant>

Adrienne
(home w/ a cold....ah---AH---CHOOOO!!!)

I know from personal experience that it's very uncomfortable when people around you are speaking a language you don't understand, so I would say it would be better to speak English on the sales floor definitely. I was in Germany once and the group I was with chose to speak only German, which I don't speak, even though all of them knew French and English, which I do speak. I was a little put out, but it would've been worse had I been in a place of business.

The funniest part is when they make fun of the customers in the area in their native language, thinking the customers don't know what they're talking about.

Hey morons, I played soccer for 8 years at US-Mexico Border, I've been in a Spanish class every yr since HS, and some of my best friends are Hispanic. Now, I may not be fully fluent, BUT I KNOW WHEN YOU'RE TALKING SH*T, and so do many others.

In fact, I know more Spanish than Tagalog, which is wierd.......

I think they should be allowed to freely speak whatever they want. :rolleyes:

I was raised in a different background, one with more cultures than I have toes, so I suppose it's more accepted here than it is over there.

I'm playing devil's advcate....

Ok, here's my (admittantly biased) 2 cents (or more, because I feel a long expination coming on).....

My very first point is that the United States of America has no offical language....true about 90% of the population speaks English, but it is against the consisitution to declare an offical language.

Ok, that said, I work in a restaraunt and the cooks are all Mexican. Only one knows much English and so we speak in Spanish. (OK, yes, my boss allows this because she hires only Mexicans to work in the kitchen.) I know this is a different situation then most, but it still somewhat applies. She does not tell us not to speak around customers because they only speak Spanish. I also date one of the cooks, and so I speak Spanish in public quite often. I know that it feels weird because for years I always thought that if someone was speaking a different language, then they were talking about me....but then I realized anyone who thinks they are being talked about needs to get over themselves because we have better things to talk about....unless something out of the ordinary is happening, then it would probably be discussed in English, just more discreate.

I agree certain things should not be discussed at work no matter what language they are discussed in. Rather then simply say "English Only" they should have a code of conduct...maybe no speaking other languages while helping a customer, and certain subjects that should be avoided. Other then that, I don't think employers have a right to tell their employees what language to talk in, especially if it isn't affecting their work.

Ok...some of this isn't exactly the most cohearnt thing you've ever heard, but it's like 2:30am....maybe I'll come back later and fix things...probably not, but it's always nice to have the disclaimer.

Perhaps we should make English the official language of the United States... since we don't have one.

I agree, as long as their breaks are taken off-premises or in a private employee lounge.

some lady tried to tell me that English WAS the official language of the US in HR class last year. stupid beeotch. grr. I printed stuff out on the web and told her to read it.

LOL... I hope she had the ability to do so.

But but you mean...people aren't going to understand the jokes, etc? </sarcasm>.

Seriously, I wish I was more fluent in another language SO I can say stuff that people can't understand (maybe not at work). It's hilarious that it pisses people off. It pisses you off? then go learn Swahilli or Pig Latin :P

Yeah, but she wasn't about to admit to anything. She was middle aged "I been workin for a while and I know everything there is to know" types. :rolleyes: Gawd, I wanted to smack her esp during group activities.

I think we should make English the official language...if for no other reason than saving $$$ (official forms would only need to be printed in one language - no driver's license tests in Spanish, French etc).

I think that if a CUSTOMER comes in who speaks another language and is having a problem communicating, if there is an employee there who speaks that language they should of course use that to help the customer. That is putting the customer first. We're talking about interaction between employees.

That little urge to smack someone every now and then can feel pretty good.

A private employer has the right to require this type of behavior. If you employees are all capable of speaking the same language, in doing so, they avoid many potential conflicts due to alienation and unrestrained talking of $h1t.

I personally agree with this practice. As long as the employees are on premesis, the employer can require this, no problem. If not, they can find another job.

Is that true? I thought that people were trying to pass an amendment to make English the official language, but until then there was really no law one way or the other.

I have not decided how I feel on this issue yet, however I do think that if a person plans to live and work in any country, it is important to be conversant in the predominant language.

There are several groups working to make English the official language of the U.S. One of the largest was started by a former CA Senator, who was, himself an immigrant. I would like to see it happen, but I doubt it ever will.

Right. There have been a couple of attempts to do this on a state-wide basis here in Colorado.

They have been met with charges of racism among other things.

I still don't believe that there is anything in the U.S. Constitution regarding the mandate of a single language -- one way or the other. But, not being a Constitutional scholar, I don't know that for sure.

I think that is silly considering that there are so many workplaces that hire a person on their ability to be multilingual. If I hired a person who spoke Spanish, I would consider them an asset, because they would be able to assist customers who only spoke Spanish.

If you really believe that people should speak English on the sales floor, I'd like to see what would happen in a foreign country if someone refused to serve someone who only spoke English.

Foreigners that go to other countries usually don't ecounter people that speak the same language anyways unless they speak the same language as the foreign country. The totally english speaking at work would be for the people that live here. Immigrants that don't try to get citizenship don't even bother to try to learn English these days. If you live in this country you should at least know some English. If businesses and schools only used english they would be forced to learn English. They can speak their language at home and with family and friends that cool. I would not ask anyone to give up their language, just to learn another one too. I think if you have a language barrier in your own country it hurts everyone. A guy that only spoke Spanish asked me directions to somewhere. My spanish is limited so he got fustrated. As he walked away I believe he said i need to learn how to speak Spanish. Those are simple enough words in spanish for even me to recognize. I was like this is America you should learn English or just deal with not be able to talk to people that speak English. Too bad he probably didn't understand.

My mother immigrated to the U.S. of A 45 years ago from Venezuela; back then, it was expected that all immigrants coming into the U.S. had to have a working knowledge of English. She speaks it fluently nowadays, though accented.

There is no official law on the books making English the official language of the USA. In fact, in our early days after the Revolutionary War we almost wound up speaking German.

The German issue is contested as an urban myth.

Myth

Site #2

Ach, so! :) I stand corrected... :D

I don't believe it until I see it in snopes.com. :D

Then I guess you'll believe just about anything. Do you think they have time to counter every myth that comes around. Have fun in fairytale land.

Yes, they are snopes.com :D

Have you ever been to a foreign country? As an English speaker in a foreign nation, you will no doubt be surrounded by people who speak English--even if it's rudimentary English they learned just to help their American customers. I was approached numerous times by people asking me questions not only in English, but other languages they assumed I spoke--Spanish, French, and Farsi among others. These weren't just in major tourist centers and global cities.

It's this nice little thing we call globalisation.

Lol if you call Canada or Mexico foreign yes. :p If a foreign country that wasn't speaking english as theire first language couldn't speak any I would not be offened, I expect most people not to know it and it would not be required for them to know so i could travel there.

:confused: