Republicans back bill allowing employers to require English only

[one...two...tree 2,762]

No law is necessary to justify penalizing multilingualism at work.

The new law does exactly that, hopefully.

The new law doesn't go far enough. It's should outlaw the Queen's English from ever being murmured at work either.

[tmma 467]

People seem to be missing the point that the law already allows for the employer to require employees to speak English if it relates to their duties. If you think your beancounters need to speak English to write up reports, you can *already* put that in the requirements.

Moot point...Purple says that beancounters do NOT write reports....What a relief.

Do they use sign language to tell you the final numbers?

No idea. They are just not responsible for reports, is what I understood.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I guess the deaf should be worried... None of that darn sign language thank you very much

[no name 1]

When I see two employees speaking Chinese, I have no way of knowing whether they are

indeed discussing work or talking about the weather or exchanging recipes for Egg Foo Young.

But as long as the work gets done - why exactly should that matter?

Naah its just that some people don't want to learn anything other than English.

I live in America - why should I have to learn something else? If I lived in Italy you bet I'd learn Italian.

[HAL 9000 96]

When I see two employees speaking Chinese, I have no way of knowing whether they are

indeed discussing work or talking about the weather or exchanging recipes for Egg Foo Young.

But as long as the work gets done - why exactly should that matter?

Discipline is important.

Naah its just that some people don't want to learn anything other than English.

Why should the employer have to learn the language of his employees?

Yes, discipline is important. So is a lack of ignorance. In a business, depending on whom you ask, what keeps one afloat is not being a micromanager but rather whether or not the employees are productive. And for lack of productivity one can see plenty of contracts where one can get fired for not producing. Hence, non-discriminatory reasons for dismissal.

Now, why should an employer show flexibility in relation to the environment that employer operates in? Geez... A merchant knows to adapt to a changing world to succeed.

[mawilson 2,133]

I guess the deaf should be worried... None of that darn sign language thank you very much

Damn right they should use American Sign Language.

[Chica Yeyé 41]

Yes, true. Maybe the office needs the thought police around also to be consistent then in catching everyone dozing off from work, in any language, like I am now. Or, you could do the friendly thing and join the conversation while they teach you. Not knowing is not an excuse for not learning.

No law is necessary to justify penalizing multilingualism at work.

Wise words

[Brian & Kathy 0]

Yup, it will motivate your employees to find a better job, because it nothing can be much worse than working under your system.

It is insane to think you can get the most from an employee by treating them like this. An open and friendly work enviroment will make people proud to work where they do, and this pride and accomplisment will get much more done than someone in an overbearing and oppressive workplace where they don't want to show up, and do their best to appear to be working hard to keep you happy.

Fear is a powerful motivator.

[mawilson 2,133]

Yup, it will motivate your employees to find a better job, because it nothing can be much worse than working under your system.

Maybe, maybe not.

[Ban Hammer 14,690]

I live in America - why should I have to learn something else? If I lived in Italy you bet I'd learn Italian.

[SteveLaura 0]

I live in America - why should I have to learn something else? If I lived in Italy you bet I'd learn Italian.

I agree. However, in that circumstance, personally I wouldn't welcome a law to say that I couldn't talk to another native English speaker at work in our first language.

[BabyBlueSusie 1]

I live in America - why should I have to learn something else? If I lived in Italy you bet I'd learn Italian.

I agree. However, in that circumstance, personally I wouldn't welcome a law to say that I couldn't talk to another native English speaker at work in our first language.

[HAL 9000 96]

Common sense dictates that English be used and learned by anyone, regardless of origin, in this country. And that's the way its been and will be in spite of the flourishing of ignorance that decries the rising tide of internationalization of this country's population. Arguing that past generations of immigrants accepted and adopted American English only is incomplete in light of many maintaining ties to their particular cultures and ignoring the fact that previous generations did not have the commodity of modern communications.

[Peikko 1,575]

Yes, I must curtail my use of English words in favour of the American equivelants.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Common sense dictates that English be used and learned by anyone, regardless of origin, in this country. And that's the way its been and will be in spite of the flourishing of ignorance that decries the rising tide of internationalization of this country's population. Arguing that past generations of immigrants accepted and adopted American English only is incomplete in light of many maintaining ties to their particular cultures and ignoring the fact that previous generations did not have the commodity of modern communications.

Well said.