Is it discrimination when co workers won't speak english (only spanish) in the workplace?

Question

I was hired by a fortune 500 American company to work at their branch in South Florida. I am from Brazil but my english is basically native, since my father was transfered here to the US 15 years ago. I speak native portuguese as well, but I would say my spanish is only 60% good. I was hired to work with a team of 8 people, all from countries like Venezuela, Colombia and Peru. Before I was hired I told the HR and the manager that I wasn't confortable speaking spanish in the workplace, if I HAD TO speak to customers it was one thing, but not with co workers, maybe a conversation here and there, but not 100% of the time. The 1st day, all of the team spoke to me in spanish and where surprised I even thought about speaking english.....the 2nd day, there was this conf. call 100% in spanish, with people living and working INSIDE THE USA, that simply refused to speak english. I went to the recruiter and my manager and complained and they were rude to me saying I should just get used to it!

Like I said, I would speak to clients in spanish, but I don't have to speak with co workers in spanish, since my native tongue isn't spanish, it's portuguese!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 1

You were lied to about the job requirements.

You should have been told up front that you would need to speak Spanish at work. You were told job requirements that were the exact opposite of reality.

Do NOT make an issue about people speaking Spanish. Doing so will make you look racist Make it clear that you were mislead about the amount of Spanish FLUENCY required for the job, and tell them you would have not taken the job if you had been given an accurate description of the requirements, as your Spanish isn't good enough for that level of usage.

Make the issue one of your skills versus the requirements listed. This is not different than if you'd been hired to do data entry and when you got to the job they told you you would be writing software drivers.

Your recruiter and your manager failed you miserably and you need to find a new job STAT.

The fact that your recruiter got you a job that was outside of your actual skills, and lied to you about the skills needed for the job means the recruiter already broke whatever contract they had with you.

Find a new job. When you leave, explain, in writing, that you were lied to about the amount of Spanish fluency required for the job. Send this to your Manger's bosses, and the managers at the recruiter's office.

Don't bother trying to get the language spoken at work changed. You're dealing with a group of native Spanish speakers, and they'll do their best work using Spanish. This should have been taken into account when hiring a new staff member.

Finally, when you write your resignation letter, point out the racism involved in assuming that a native Portuguese speaker will automatically know enough Spanish to "get along." Play the race card before they try it, but do so in passing. Do NOT make it the main point of your resignation letter or you'll look like you're TRYING to play the race card.

Answer 2

I don't think you have any rights here. I also don't think it's very good policy on the part of the management. They should have made it clear you would be required to speak Spanish. But I would look on it as a chance to improve your Spanish - that is a very saleable skill in the US, where their is little call for Portuguese. Stick with it, get as much as you can out of it in terms of improved language ability, then find another company.

Answer 3

Sounds like fluency in Spanish was a prerequisite for the position. English wasn't. Many of your co-workers may not even KNOW English. To work as a team, you must be able to communicate effectively. You've only got two real options: Brush up on the Spanish, or find another job.

Answer 4

I would speak English, especially when asked a question by the others or if it required your response. Let them figure out what you said. They speak spanish you answer in English!

Answer 5

No, especially if your company is doing business with other Spanish speaking countries.

It is my opinion this is the perfect opportunity for you to improve your Spanish speaking skills. Learning to be fluent can only boost your resume.

Even if they weren't doing business with other countries, they don't have to speak only English to you.

If you told them when you were hired that you could speak another language, even if it's limited, then they probably hired you because you had this skill.

Answer 6

I don't think it's discrimination, but for such a thing to happen *would* be exceedingly rude and bad business. It sounds like you're fairly new there. Any chance you can find a job elsewhere? Once you do, explain in a letter exactly why you left, so they can see that their bad habit is losing them qualified employees.

Answer 7

i think thats illegal now as the usa's language is english i believe jobs have to speak english and are allowed to speak spanish to customers but not at meetings with employees!

Answer 8

YOU SHOULD GET USED TO IT THE SPANISH SPEAKING COMMUNITY HAS A 50 BILLION DOLLAR BUYING POWER AND THEIR NEEDS HAVE TO BE CATERED TO ALSO. IF YOU DON'T WANT A SLICE OF THE THE HISPANIC DOLLAR GO WORK WHERE THEIR ARE NO HISPANICS. DO YOU THINK THAT THE COMPANY YOU ARE WORKING FOR RATHER HAVE THEIR SLICE OF THE HISPANIC MARKET OR KEEP YOU AROUND A RACIST NON SKILLED WORKER? NO BRAINER YOU'RE OUT OF HERE.