National Origin Discrimination
As with other forms of employment discrimination, employers are prohibited from making important employment decisions because a person is from a particular country or part of the world, because of ethnicity or accent, or even just because they appear to be of a certain ethnicity.
An employer can only require an employee to speak fluent English if that is necessary to perform the job effectively. Employers may not maintain an “English-only rule” unless it is needed to ensure the safe or efficient operation of the employer's business; it cannot be implemented for discriminatory reasons or because other languages make coworkers uncomfortable.
What is the Law?
The federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, also known as Title VII, and Chapter 21 of the Texas Labor Code, also known as the Texas Commission on Human Rights Act, are the statutory laws that prohibit national origin discrimination in the workplace. These laws apply to private employers with at least 15 employees, as well as state and local governments of any size. Under these laws, employers cannot make employment decisions based on an employee or applicant's national origin, or on stereotypes or assumptions about employees or applicants because of their national origin.
What Does it Look Like?
National origin discrimination can take many forms and be both explicit or subtle. Perhaps your supervisor or manager seems to favor your coworkers from a certain country, whether that is the United States or somewhere else. Maybe your supervisor has said outright that he does not trust or like people from your country. National origin discrimination can even appear where people whose families come from the same country dislike each other because of how recently their families came to the United States. If these or anything similar sound like what you are experiencing, a skilled Board Certified employment attorney can help you determine your best options.
With a skilled Board Certified employment discrimination lawyer on your side, you will be able to understand your legal options and pursue a strategy towards the best outcome possible. If you feel you are being mistreated because of your race, contact our firm today to connect with a board certified employment discrimination attorney to discuss your situation.
