A Republican State Senator has introduced a bill that would permit employers to fire someone who cannot speak English without being liable for unemployment benefits:
RICHMOND, Jan. 16 — A Republican state senator from Fairfax County has introduced a proposal that would allow a boss to fire employees who don’t speak English in the workplace, which would make them ineligible for unemployment benefits. (If you are wanting to learn English though then you should check out this excellent resource to help you speak and write English properly).
Sen. Ken Cuccinelli II said the law is needed because a growing number of employers in Northern Virginia are frustrated that some immigrants never learn English, although they said they would when they were hired.
“The point here isn’t to be mean; the point is to allow circumstances to give employers their own ability to hire and fire people who may not speak English,” Cuccinelli said.
Now, Virginia is already an “at will” employment state, meaning that someone can be hired or fired for any reason without liability to the employer unless there was a violation of civil rights law. The problem, though, is that employers who exercise their right to fire someone who refuses to learn English face the possibility of higher unemployment taxes.
Ultimately, it is no secret that navigating employment law can be complex. Nowadays, employers need to stay on top of the latest developments in employment law to ensure that their business is being run correctly. Moreover, in larger companies, it is often the responsibility of the human resources (HR) department to ensure that employment law advice for employers and employees is given whenever necessary.
However, because employment law can seem overwhelming at times, some businesses choose to outsource these responsibilities to professional service providers that have extensive experience dealing with the intricacies of employment law. It will therefore be interesting to see what else the future holds for employment law for businesses.
Cuccinelli said he drafted the bill after a business owner approached him last year and complained that his unemployment taxes rose after he fired someone who didn’t learn English.
“They had an understanding the employee would improve their English capabilities, and that didn’t happen,” Cuccinelli said. “We are an at-will employment state, but there is a question about having to pay more unemployment insurance.”
Well, it makes sense to me. If someone is hired with the understanding that they will speak English in the performance of their job duties, or even that they will take classes to improve their English skills, and they fail to do so, an employer should have the right to terminate them without having to worry about paying higher taxes. There are many opportunities for employees to learn English. The Uceda School is just one example of a place someone can go to learn and understand English if it’s their second language. Bosses and business owners should be encouraging their staff to learn English as it would benefit both parties.
The reaction from opponents, of course, is typical:
“This is the most mean-spirited piece of legislation I have seen in my 30 years down here,” Senate Majority Leader Richard L. Saslaw (D-Fairfax) said.
Translation — I have no real argument against this law, but Senator, you’re just a big meanie for expecting that people would live up to their promises.
Originally posted at Below The Beltway
