kandoh
@kandoh@reddthat.com
- Comment on what's your take on employers banning the use of languages other than English between coworkers at the workplace? 5 days ago:
In both Canada and the USA, employers are generally not allowed to arbitrarily restrict employees from speaking their preferred language at work, except where justified by business necessity or legal requirements. However, some differences exist based on region, industry, and recent legislative changes[1][2][3][4][5].
Canada: Official Languages and Provincial Differences
- Canada recognizes English and French as official languages federally, and federal employees in bilingual regions have the right to work, receive services, and be supervised in their choice of English or French[3][6][7].
- In the private sector, language is not explicitly protected under the Canadian Human Rights Act, but discrimination based on language can be challenged if it is linked to protected grounds like ethnicity, ancestry, or place of origin[1][8][9][10].
- In most provinces, employers can require workplace proficiency in English or French if it is necessary for business operations. Prohibiting other languages (including during breaks) may be considered discriminatory unless a clear safety, communication, or business necessity exists[1][8][11].
- Quebec has strict laws requiring the use of French in workplaces, but across the country, arbitrary “English-only” rules must be objectively justified rather than used to exclude or discriminate against employees[1][12].
United States: Civil Rights Protections
- As of 2025, English has been designated the official language by executive order, but federal law does not force employers to adopt “English-only” rules for all circumstances[2][4].
- Blanket policies that ban languages other than English in the workplace are presumed illegal under EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) guidelines and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. These laws protect employees from discrimination based on national origin, which includes language[4][5][13][14][15][16].
- Employers may only require English proficiency or impose English-only policies if there is a clear business necessity (for example, safety, effective business operations, or workplace cohesion). Any such rule must be limited in scope, justified, and consistently enforced[5][13][16].
- Employees can generally speak their native language during breaks and non-work periods unless it interferes with business needs—targeting specific language groups or enforcing policies unequally is unlawful[4][5][14][17].
Practical Implications
- In both countries, requiring employees to speak English (or French in Quebec/federal Canada) must be directly related to the job, such as for customer service or safety.
- Businesses can set reasonable language requirements but must avoid blanket bans or policies that create a hostile work environment or discriminate against employees based on their cultural or national origin[1][4][5][8].
- Employees who face language-related discrimination may have grounds to file complaints under human rights codes or federal civil rights law, especially if language ties to protected grounds like ethnicity[1][8][9][16].
For federal workplaces in Canada and sectors with specific language laws (like Quebec), rights to use an official language are robust[3][6][7]. In most workplaces elsewhere, business needs dictate reasonable language requirements, but arbitrary or discriminatory restrictions are unlawful in both Canada and the USA[4][5][8].
Citations: [1] Je ne comprends pas workplace language laws in Canada www.leeworkplacelaw.com/mobile/news-article.php?i… [2] Employer Responsibilities Under Evolving Language … beankinney.com/employer-responsibilities-under-ev… [3] Official languages in the workplace www.canada.ca/en/…/workplace.html [4] Trump Declared English the Official Language. Can … norrismclaughlin.com/…/trump-declared-english-the… [5] Language Discrimination legalaidatwork.org/…/language-discrimination/ [6] Language of work - Office of the Commissioner of Official … www.clo-ocol.gc.ca/en/…/language-work [7] Official Languages Act ( RSC , 1985, c. 31 (4th Supp.)) laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/…/page-3.html [8] Fact Sheet: Language and The Human Rights Code manitobahumanrights.ca/…/factsheet_language_hrcod… [9] Policy on discrimination and language ohrc.on.ca/…/Policy_on_discrimination_and_languag… [10] Policy on discrimination and language …ohrc.on.ca/…/policy-discrimination-and-language [11] My (40F) co-workers are being asked to stop speaking their … reddit.com/…/my_40f_coworkers_are_being_asked_to_… [12] Master Canadian language laws: A guide for businesses alllanguages.com/what-are-the-language-laws-in-ca… [13] Everybody Talks: Are English-Only Workplace Policies … maynardnexsen.com/publication-everybody-talks-are… [14] Can we tell employees to not speak a different language … trinet.com/…/can-we-tell-employees-to-not-speak-a… [15] Language diversity and discrimination in the American … thesedonaconference.org/…/[8.7] Language diversit… [16] What do I need to know about…English-Only Rules? www.dol.gov/…/English-Only-Rules-Factsheet.pdf [17] [OH] Today I was asked to stop using my native language … reddit.com/…/oh_today_i_was_asked_to_stop_using_m… [18] Crossing North: A Playbook for U.S. Employers canadaemploymenthumanrightslaw.com/…/crossing-nor… [19] What do I need to know about… English-Only Rules www.dol.gov/agencies/oasam/…/english-only-rules [20] Directive on Official Languages for People Management www.tbs-sct.canada.ca/pol/doc-eng.aspx?id=26168
- Comment on Dinner is ready! 5 days ago:
A contains just sliver of Italy too
- Comment on STEEL BALL RUN JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure | Trailer | Netflix Anime 2 weeks ago:
I wonder if they’ll fuck up the release schedule on this one like they did the last one
- Comment on Lawyer caught using AI-generated false citations in court case penalised in Australian first 3 weeks ago:
To death you say?
- Comment on Young artist who is a big fan of Twin Peaks 3 weeks ago:
This pie is so good it should be a crime
- Comment on 3 weeks ago:
C levels need to free up cash for their holiday bonuses
- Comment on Good news. :) 3 weeks ago:
The old saying of ‘a conservative would let donald trump shit in their mouth if it meant a liberal had to smell it’ can now be translated to ‘a conservative will kill every last child in a red state if it means a child from a blue state will get a cough’
- Comment on "Touring After the Apocalypse" Key Visual 5 weeks ago:
Finally, an anime adaptation of The Road
- Comment on Feeling insecure about going to a 'girlie pop' concert as a 30 year old man, am i overthinking it? 1 month ago:
It would only be weird if you went alone
- Comment on When was the first time you cried over an anime? 1 month ago:
The Pokemon movie when Ash turns to stone.
- Comment on Peter Thiel’s bestie going mask off 1 month ago:
Ben Carson is one of the best brain surgeons in the world. Dr Oz was considered the best heart surgeon in the world.
Expertise and education do not equal intelligence.
- Comment on For Steins;Gate watchers, what do you think of Steins;Gate 0? 2 months ago:
Too sad and depressing. OG was more enjoyable, but zero was still very good
- Comment on Vintage gaming advertising pictures: a gallery 2 months ago:
I think Japanese companies didn’t care much about ad approval’s in foreign markets. Let them gi a little crazy.
- Comment on People angry that Superman represents kindness are outright admitting that they don't want to be good people 2 months ago:
- Comment on [News] All 12 Episodes of Grand Blue Season 2 Leak Online Ahead of Schedule 2 months ago:
I feel bad for the people who worked on it.
- Comment on Milking dust 2 months ago:
The premise of dinosaurs in the modern world is as close to evergreen as you can get. The problem isn’t that the cow has gone dry, so much as the farmers keep jerking off the bull instead.
- Comment on As of 30 minutes ago at the time of posting, the NYPD has detained two young Black men after they refused to show ID without explanation or cause. 2 months ago:
They know they’re being racially profiled and didn’t feel like playing along and making life easier for the cops.
- Comment on 'Xbox Hardware Is Dead,' Says Founding Team Member, 'It Looks Like Xbox Has No Desire — Or Literally Can't — Ship Hardware Anymore' - IGN 2 months ago:
That will probably be a thing similar to how Netflix lets you download episodes for plane rides and such.
- Comment on 'Xbox Hardware Is Dead,' Says Founding Team Member, 'It Looks Like Xbox Has No Desire — Or Literally Can't — Ship Hardware Anymore' - IGN 2 months ago:
Yeah, they think the Internet will get so quick that people will just stream every game from the cloud from any device and they want to be the leader of that.
- Comment on Microsoft Plans Major Job Cuts at Xbox Gaming Division 2 months ago:
This will free up a lot of capital for c-level bonuses
- Comment on Name an older anime you'd love to see make a full comeback? 3 months ago:
I feel like any I’d mention have already been done and I never bothered to watch it.
- Comment on What is your most memorable anime binge session? 3 months ago:
2022 watching all of one piece in a year. Took 420 or so hours.
Taking shrooms and binging season 2 of Jujutsu Kaisen.
- Comment on [deleted] 3 months ago:
There is no value in defending a billion dollar company from another billion dollar company. Just accept Nintendo is more popular and live your life ❤️
- Comment on YSK: Condé Nast Parent Company is a Major Owner of Reddit, You Should Avoid their Publications (Wired, Ars Technica, GQ, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, Vogue,...etc) as Much as Possible. 3 months ago:
Wired is great
- Comment on LinkedIn lays off 281 workers in California, including many Bay Area engineers 3 months ago:
Moore’s Law is dead. Peak employment in tech has been reached. God help the kids in computer science.
- Comment on WTF is a rural town in the USA? 3 months ago:
Anything with less than 50k is rural
- Comment on My wife says it's thanks to wearing sunscreen and avoiding cigarettes 3 months ago:
I think it’s because we’re more pure and full of love than previous generations
- Comment on My wife says it's thanks to wearing sunscreen and avoiding cigarettes 3 months ago:
At least it’s not receding
- Comment on Switch 2 supports USB mouse controls, developer reveals 3 months ago:
Rip Steamdeck gg no re
What an embarrassing thing for the moderator to remove. Just an absolutely joyless person that mod must be.
- Comment on Most of us will leave behind a large ‘digital legacy’ when we die. Here’s how to plan what happens to it 3 months ago:
My mother passed away before the internet evolved into something a middle aged woman would enjoy using.
I went searching for anything I could find, and I did manage to come across an ancient website for alumni of her highschool where her name and email were listed. Sort of blew my mind, she’d obviously come across the website and emailed the admin to add her contact info.
This would’ve been 8 or 9 years before Facebook blew up. Man, she would’ve loved Facebook and Farmville. She’d probably be doing Wordle every day and be a Rachel Maddow wine mom if she’d survived.
How much I wish she’d had a significant online presence so I could look her up and sort of connect with her again in some way.