Should an employer be allowed to require English on the job?

In this country...yes you should...sorry but english is the language that most of the people know in this country

Yeah if you want your workers to speak english so that you can understand them and already give it as a requirement then they can't speak spanish etc while at work if you wanna speak spanish speak it on your own time. I belive that communication is the most important aspect in life as a whole im not trying to bring religon into this but there is a story in the bible called the tower a babel in the story the people were building a great tower they all spoke the same language but then all of the sudden they couldn't understand anyone (why i wont say) and everything turned into chaos so work couldn't be completed and the wrokers left.

It's the same thing as telling a co-worker a dirty joke, over herd by a third employee, and that person is offended. You might be having a private conversation between the two of you, but the third employee is unable to not hear you due to the close proximity of the shared work area and therefore their right to being comfortable and respected in their work place is being violated. Likewise, if two people are speaking in another language and a third person might be made to feel uncomfortable, like maybe they are being talked about in a bad way, but cannot understand what is being said, then speaking in another language in the office is inappropriate. Ask people in the food service business, it happens to us all the time. I understand more Spanish than I can speak, and have over herd co-workers saying the most vile and disrespectful things about the boss right in front of their face, It makes it even funnier for the Spanish speaker to say these things right in front of the boss knowing they have no idea they are being disrespected or insulted. It's not a joke, it happens in my workplace everyday. I feel if you can't speak English well, that's one thing. But if you are using your knowledge of another language to disrespect or insult those around you, it shouldn't be allowed. It's a fine line, I don't know how to resolve this issue, it's a matter of mutual respect from both sides, understanding those who cannot speak English well, but were hired to do a job, employer knowing what their language skills are. Different from those who speak English perfectly, but choose to speak in another language to insult others without having the guts to say it to their faces in a language that would be understood by all, I have no tolerance for.

I think you should speak whatever language the employer wants you to speak. There are jobs that require you to speak languages other than English. Having the skills needed for the job should be what's required. It might be the ability to lift 30 pounds. It might be the ability to swim. It might be the ability to speak English - or Spanish - or French. If a job truly needs somebody to speak English in order for the job to be done properly - then so be it.

But - know too - that our country does not have an official language. English is NOT the official language of the U.S. We don't have an official language.

"). As an employer I determine the qualifications and skills required for MY job. If you fail to maintain the these requirements YOUR GONE"

And you would be right.

Trouble is.... in this case those people were conversing amongst themselves. Had nothing to do with the job. That's why it was wrong. Employers can not tell employees you can only speak in X language in here, that is illegal.

> agree with you my friend. Communications is very much a relevant job performance issue. I would venture to say its paramount for any employee to be able to communicate effectively.

* 21 hours ago

Source(s):

California cop.

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I think that was a joke answer!

1 - In Califronia, any cop comes across people who don't pseak English routinely, often under dangerous circumstances. Does he just walk away because he can't communicate?

2 - communication is indeed the issue - emplyees need to be able to communcate among themselves. Not all emplyees need to communicate with customers. But intra-company communication is paramaoutn to safety and success.

If that communication happens best in some language other then English, who cares?

I would say any manager that can't manage people who do their work in the best collaborative way possible to benefit the company shouldn't be a manager in the first place, as it is not really a difficult managerial issue at all in practice

WOW! Peapop, I love your answer and the quote! That's got to be the best response to this debate I've ever heard! Thanks for sharing that with us. It serves to further solidify (not that it really needed it) my feelings that things have gotten out of hand.

Spanish is a beautiful language, but if someone - anyone - wants to come to this country and become a citizen, or even just live like one, they need to learn the language most commonly spoken. It is absolutely appropriate for an employer in this country to require employees to speak English.

An employer has a job that needs to get done. When someone is hired to "fill" that position it is simply to get the job done correctly. If your job requires that you speak to other people in the office, on the phone, etc. then you should speak or learn to speak that language perfectly. Just like you should also wear business attire, bath daily, etc...duh.

He is Pro-English not anti-Spanish...Roosevelt said it best

Theodore Roosevelt on Immigrants and being an AMERICAN

"In the first place we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the man's becoming in very fact an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag, and this excludes the red flag, which symbolizes all wars against liberty and civilization, just as much as it excludes any foreign flag of a nation to which we are hostile...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

Theodore Roosevelt 1907

YES, YES, YES. English is the great equalising language of America. We are a melting pot, and everyone needs to melt a little. All the other groups that came here in the past had to learn English. Today's immigrants shouldn't be exempted.