Language Diversity in American: Challenges and Opportunities for Management

As the U. S. workforce includes a growing number of people for whom English is a second language at best, employers have developed language policies to try to minimize potential conflicts in the workplace as well as possible negative effects on safety and productivity. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the basis of national origin, and English-only policies may run afoul of EEOC enforcement unless they are carefully crafted, announced, and enforced. The EEOC has published guidelines for English 'only policies. In addition, employers should review the case law summarized here and the authors' list of acceptable business justifications before implementing a language policy.