I work in the lab at a hospital as a phlebotomist. Several of my coworkers are from Afghanistan, Iran, etc. but are fluent in English. They always speak about work stuff in English but I've noticed recently that they switch back and forth between English and their native language when I'm around. I heard one of them say my name and another coworker's name "... Leigh and Amanda..." and I started to get upset because I wasn't sure what they were saying about me. I'm all for hiring foreigners but is there some policy or something that prevents them from doing this? We have a very strict anti-bully policy where if it gets around that someone is saying bad things behind someone's back, there is action taken.
I confronted one of them and said, "I heard you say my name and I would like to know what you were saying," to which she replied, "We weren't even talking about you."
I am a nursing student and know I eventually need to handle conflict on my own but I'm not sure what to do in this situation! I think it's very rude for them to converse in their language when I'm the only other person in the lab at the time but it's also rude for me to ask them to stop. Help!!
Hmmm...it seems that my previous post has gotten many of you fired up. I stand by my wording. I find it sad that many of you are unable to remain civil in your replies. Having said that, I will make this statement. NO one should have to feel bullied in the work place. If I work with ANY nurse, foreign or native, and a policy exists to speak ONLY English, then why r they not complying. If I were the OP and I felt bullied from other nurses creating a hostile work environment from speaking a tongue NOT NATIVE to America, then I would address it. Only the op knows how she really feels.
To the rest of you-no intent to offend exists on my end. Please keep your replies civil as the debate rages on!
By taking a very deep breath and shaking your head at the sheer balls it took to say that aloud in public. And the ignorance one would have to possess to be proud of a statement like that.
Looking at the OP's original post, I notice that the workplace policy is about bullying, not about speaking English. Seems to me that is relevant to the discussion.
There have recently been lawsuits in the US in which workplace English-only policies were successfully challenged. This is a complicated legal issue and not as clear-cut as one might believe.
Be that as it may, I'd like to repeat my earlier suggestion that the OP take a different approach and try to make friends with the coworkers whose native language is not English. Living and working in a multi-cultural environment, I have found that to be the best way to get past those paranoid feelings on both sides.
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
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Go to THEIR country and tell me if they expect YOU to speak THEIR language!! There is not a single country in the world that does not expect you to speak their language but yet Americans get bashed for the same thing!!
You missed my first post where I stated I DID live in another country and I DID learn to speak their language. However, when I would meet other English speakers I always spoke English because this is what was comfortable to me, much like the workers int e OP's post
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
Surely it's rude to have a conversation in front of another person in a language that person cannot understand, but it isn't bullying. At least not if that's all that's happening. Have a conversation with the co-workers, explaining to them that it makes you uncomfortable not to be included in the conversation. A conversation, not a confrontation. Confrontation isn't going to get you anywhere.
I work with a number of folks from the Phillipines, and generally they're the most polite folks in the world. Occaisionally, though, they'll forget and converse in Tagalog. All it takes is a gentle "English, please" with a smile and they'll apologize, briefly translate the gist of the conversation, and continue in English. I wonder if the OP tried that sort of casual, friendly approach or if she went straight to confrontation.
I think people are missing the point, if someone was blatantly having a non-English (or hell even English) side conversation within earshot of me mentioning my name I wouldn't be too happy. It makes it worse if I could tell the non-verbal body language wasn't positive.
I don't dance around things, I would be immediately questioning them about mentioning me. If they are brash enough to do it in front me I don't feel bad at all. A lot of people in nursing avoid confrontation, but I won't tolerate that right in front of my face. Sorry.
Also, I am fluent in another language but I think work place lingo should be strictly English. While it is not the "official" language it is the de facto one so lets drop the semantics.
THIS. It is unprofessional and rude. By the way, I've seen your posts on various threads and I love your no-nonsense, intelligent insights. Just thought I'd throw that out there, Dranger.
Note this, in particular, from the Forbes article:
Even if justified by business necessity in these situations, an English-only policy should not be applied to casual conversations between employees when they are not performing job duties.
That's what it sounds like was happening in the situation the OP describes. The employers mentioned in this thread who enforce such policies re: non-work related conversations may very well be in violation of Federal law. Not that that is surprising, the hospital I worked for violated several federal laws on a daily basis (this not being one of them)- they just had a creative way of doing it.
I really don't care if they talk about me. I have heard my name in 2 languages. I understand some. When it affects the rest if my life that is when it becomes a problem. I am not perfect. No one is. If you are that uncomfortable please move to different area. Fast.
RyanCarolinaBoy, ADN, BSN, MSN
182 Posts
Hmmm...it seems that my previous post has gotten many of you fired up. I stand by my wording. I find it sad that many of you are unable to remain civil in your replies. Having said that, I will make this statement. NO one should have to feel bullied in the work place. If I work with ANY nurse, foreign or native, and a policy exists to speak ONLY English, then why r they not complying. If I were the OP and I felt bullied from other nurses creating a hostile work environment from speaking a tongue NOT NATIVE to America, then I would address it. Only the op knows how she really feels.
To the rest of you-no intent to offend exists on my end. Please keep your replies civil as the debate rages on!