Employer English-only bill Options

[Spectatrix]

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/12/13/eng...bill/index.html

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Republican leaders in the House are supporting a bill that would let employers set an English only policy on the job.
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The EEOC has sued the Salvation Army after organization required that their workers learn English.

Rep. Tom Price, R-Georgia, is the lead sponsor of the Common Sense English Act. The bill, introduced in the House on Wednesday, would allow offices and workplaces around the country to require English under any circumstance they prefer.

The measure comes after the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sued the Salvation Army over the issue. The charity organization required that their workers learn English within a year and speak English only after that point. The EEOC sued for discrimination.

"What kind of nonsense is that?" said Rep. Price.

"I believe strongly that employers ought to be able to require employees to speak English while engaged in work activities," he said. "And that's all it does. It's very simple."

Price's bill pulled in 31 co-sponsors within hours of being drafted. Among those co-sponsors are other top Republicans in the House, including House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio.

The Senate has already passed a similar bill, but it has stalled in the Democratic-run House where it was frozen before making it to the floor.

The EEOC insists it is enforcing the current law as written and that regulations are specific. Employers can require English only, but such a policy cannot be in response to any one group, such as Spanish speakers, and it must be for a specific, business-related reason.

"An English only rule must be justified by business necessity," said EEOC regional attorney Elizabeth Grossman. "Safety would be an example."

Price and Republicans behind the bill see more at stake.

"Americans believe that we are a nation united by one language and that our central language protects both our safety and our culture," Price said.

I'm not entirely sure what I think about this... depends on how it's worded. I have no problem with workers speaking Spanish, Chinese, etc. when speaking with each other, but employers should certainly be permitted to require their employees learn English so that they can interact with customers properly.

[Testm0nkey]

i cant get over that spanish people, or maybe its just mexicans, answer the phone with "bueno"

just doesnt make sense to me! unless it just came about as a shortened greeting from buenas tardes or some jazz like that

[jonathan83]

i cant get over that spanish people, or maybe its just mexicans, answer the phone with "bueno"

just doesnt make sense to me! unless it just came about as a shortened greeting from buenas tardes or some jazz like that

actually i think english is the only language that says "hello" when we answer the phone, or at least one of the very few. when you think about it, it seems kinda weird that we'd say hello when we answer the phone.

typically only mexicans say bueno. it's not short for buenas tardes or anything like that, it just good/well/alright. in spain it's more common to say dígame or just diga, which is different altogether. i think i even heard that germans answer the phone with their last name. i also know that in brazil they say "halo" which isn't a word at all in their language, they just use it for answering the phone. same for korean. they say yoboseyo, when in fact it's not a word you'd use in any other context except for answering the phone.

[Testm0nkey]

actually i think english is the only language that says "hello" when we answer the phone, or at least one of the very few. when you think about it, it seems kinda weird that we'd say hello when we answer the phone.

typically only mexicans say bueno. it's not short for buenas tardes or anything like that, it just good/well/alright. in spain it's more common to say dígame or just diga, which is different altogether. i think i even heard that germans answer the phone with their last name. i also know that in brazil they say "halo" which isn't a word at all in their language, they just use it for answering the phone. same for korean. they say yoboseyo, when in fact it's not a word you'd use in any other context except for answering the phone.

in german ive heard ya "yes" annnnnnnnnnd i think thats it actually

i remember moshi moshi if thats the proper spelling! it sounds a lot better coming from an asian person

[Jim]

in german ive heard ya "yes" annnnnnnnnnd i think thats it actually

i remember moshi moshi if thats the proper spelling! it sounds a lot better coming from an asian person

Moshi Moshi is the proper spelling =P

[chook]

Moshi Moshi is the proper spelling =P

odenwa desu

[Jim]

odenwa desu

Telephone greeting.

[chook]

Telephone greeting.

nani desu ka?