Why is it ok to hire people who can’t speak English, but require people to Speak Spanish to het hired?
Many jobs in the City of Los Angeles require one to speak Spanish, but, they cannot refuse you if you do not speak English?
They can refuse to hire you if you cannot speak Spanish, but, cannot refuse to hire you if you cannot speak English.
Where is the ACLU on this?
If you can't speak English, and and don't get hired, it is discrimination. But if you don't speak Spanish, and don't get hired, you can do nothing.
Filed under: Spanish Language
It depends on the job. If you have to deal with Spanish speaking people, then you must speak the language, but if the job doesn’t require it, they can’t or shouldn’t refuse to hire you for that reason.
It does seem that naturalized English speaking citizens in this country are getting a raw deal. The kicker is that the employer does not have to tell you why you weren’t hired over a person who only speaks Spanish – so you will never really have any proof that you’ve been discriminated against. In my opinion its reverse discrimination!!
There are some jobs where the only language requirement is the ability to speak Spanish. If the job doesn’t actually require the ability to speak English to do it, then not speaking English is not a bar.
It seems odd, granted. But look at this analogy. Say you had a job at a desk. The job requires you to be seated all day. If you can only stand, not sit, then you would not be qualified for that job. However, if you can only, not stand (such as being in a wheelchair), then you are still qualified for that job. Why? Because being able to stand is not necessary to do the job, but being able to sit is necessary.
Same thing with languages. If being able to speak Spanish is necessary to do the job, then someone who cannot is not qualified. Same with any other language, by the way, not just Spanish. But if being able to speak English is not necessary to do the job, then you are still qualified even if you cannot.
It’s not discrimination where the requirements of the job dictate capabilities. A blind person could not take a job that requires visual acuity, nor could a person in a wheelchair take a job that requires jumping and climbing ladders. (Yes, reasonable accommodations for handicapped persons must be made, but go with the analogy). If you don’t have the required abilities/skills/whatever for the job, then you are not qualified.
Now, why isn’t the ability to speak/write English required? That makes no sense to me. But we’ll assume for purposes of this answer that the list of requirements is accurate.
It does seem to be going that way, doesn’t it?
You are wrong — jobs can require you to speak English. Most every job requires it, though not quite every one does.
No one is required to hire someone for a job they cannot do, and understanding or speaking in English is often required to do the job.
The ACLU gets involved in cases like the Arizona law which says you are not allowed to speak Spanish while doing a state job, ever. Even if you also speak English at the appropriate time.