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English-only workplace rules: both discriminatory and disengaging?
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<p>Employers are increasingly finding themselves in the
news or in court defending English-only policies. Do these rules ever
have a place at work?</p>
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Riia O'Donnell
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<h4>Published</h4>
Aug. 9, 2018
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<p>English-only rules in the workplace have garnered a bit of attention of late, both in the media and in the courtroom.</p>
<p>Most recently, a Baltimore Dunkin’ Donuts responded to social media pressure, removing a sign <a href="https://wgntv.com/2018/06/20/dunkin-donuts-shop-removes-sign-asking-customers-to-report-employees-not-speaking-english/" target="_blank">asking customers to report</a> employees
“shouting in a language other than English” to management. In exchange,
the customers were promised a coupon for free coffee and a pastry.</p>
<p>And while employers may have several reasons for wanting employees to be <em>able </em>to speak English, there are instances in which English-only policies may be discriminatory, experts say.</p>
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<h3 class="gmail-standard-heading"><strong>When is English-only acceptable?</strong></h3>
<p>The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's <a href="http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/national-origin-guidance.cfm" target="_blank">Enforcement Guidance on </a><a href="https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/national-origin-guidance.cfm">National Origin Discrimination</a>
gives employers insight into when, and if, English-only rules can be
adopted. While a blanket policy to use only English will often be
considered discriminatory, it can be used in certain circumstances.
Specific conditions have to be met, however, to make the rule
legitimate, the agency said.</p>
<p>Such a rule is permissible when an employer provides advance notice
of the rule and can show that it is justified by business necessity. At
the federal level, "business necessity" can include communicating with
customers, coworkers or supervisors who only speak English, Michael
Studenka, partner at Newmeyer & Dillion LLP, told HR Dive via email.
Likewise, it can apply in emergencies or situations where a common
language will promote safety; for cooperative assignments to promote
efficiency; and to enable supervisors who only speak English to monitor
performance of employees whose jobs require communicating with coworkers
or customers.</p>
<p>But even then, employers who adopt these policies should be sensitive
to the needs of staff members, Studenka said. "This is all part of
respecting diversity in the workplace," he explained; "It should be
raised in any diversity training, especially with managers so that they
avoid unknowingly overstepping here, for example, telling an employee on
break in the kitchen that he must speak English."</p>
<p>Any English-only rule should be narrowly drawn and closely tethered
to interests of safety and efficiency, he said. It should apply only to
specific times and situations and must be clearly communicated and apply
to all employees. For situations and jobs that don’t require it, there
should be no such rule, nor retaliation against employees who
communicate with coworkers in another language.</p>
<p>Randi Kochman, chair of the Employment Law Department at Cole Schotz,
offered similar advice: "An employer considering adopting an
English-only policy should consider the business need for the policy and
draft a policy that is narrowly tailored to meet those needs," she
said. "The policy should not apply to off-duty conduct and the company
should ensure that it is enforced fairly and consistently."</p></div></div></div></div>
<br clear="all"><br>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature">=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+<br><br> Harold F. Schiffman<br><br>Professor Emeritus of <br> Dravidian Linguistics and Culture <br>Dept. of South Asia Studies <br>University of Pennsylvania<br>Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305<br><br>Phone: (215) 898-7475<br>Fax: (215) 573-2138 <br><br>Email: <a href="mailto:haroldfs@gmail.com" target="_blank">haroldfs@gmail.com</a><br><a href="http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/" target="_blank">http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/</a> <br><br>-------------------------------------------------</div>
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