US: Virginia House Passes Legislation to Protect English-in-the-Workplace Policies

[Harold Schiffman]

Virginia House Passes Legislation to Protect English-in-the-Workplace Policies
    Strong support in House mirrors strong support nationwide



    WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Virginia House of
Delegates passed legislation yesterday clarifying that Virginia employers
have a right to institute an English-in-the-workplace policy. The 70-29
vote on House Bill 1472 sends the measure to the Senate for consideration.



    Under the legislation, sanctioning an employee for failure to comply
with an English-in-the-workplace policy is not considered discrimination on
the basis of national origin. The measure clarifies that the policy must be
made for a legitimate business purpose and in no way condones rules that
bar other languages from the workplace altogether.



    Protection of employer rights in instituting English-in-the-workplace
policies has increased since the United States Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission (EEOC) began prosecuting employers who required that English be
spoken while conducting business. These workplace policies, which have been
upheld by courts at the federal and state level, are meant to foster
communication, improve safety, and ensure a cohesive workforce. Properly
tailored directives do not apply to personal time, such as work breaks and
lunch hours.



    Last year, the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate separately
approved measures that would have withheld funds from the EEOC for
prosecuting such cases. Though the amendment did not appear in final
appropriations bill, stand-alone measures have been introduced as H.R. 4464
and S. 2453 and have gained considerable support in Congress. A November
2007 poll by Rasmussen Reports found that 77 percent of Americans believe
that employers should have the right to require that employees speak
English while on the job.



    "The diverse nature of our workforce makes it essential that we use the
common language of English while on the job," said Mauro E. Mujica,
Chairman of U.S. English, Inc. "For efficiency, safety, and communication,
we cannot let language barriers get in the way of business. I am pleased
the Virginia House of Delegates has protected an employers' right to have
an English-in-the-workplace policy, and I look forward to seeing the Senate
follow suit."



    U.S. English, Inc. is the nation's oldest and largest non-partisan
citizens' action group dedicated to preserving the unifying role of the
English language in the United States. Founded in 1983 by the late Sen.
S.I. Hayakawa, U.S. English, Inc. now has more than 1.8 million members
nationwide.

 SOURCE U.S. English, Inc.

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/02-13-2008/0004755393&EDATE=

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