Believe it or not, the sound of our voices carries a great amount of weight in society. The sound of one’s voice can create assumptions concerning appearance, personality, and socioeconomic status. A determining factor in whether or not a job applicant is hired is the sound of the individual’s voice. A polished sound of intelligence is highly regarded in one’s daily life, especially in the workplace.
It is not fair that we are judged fundamentally upon our voices. Though diction, enunciation, and Standard English should be used no matter who is speaking. The fact remains that one should not be judged solely according to a particular speaking pattern, dialect, or accent. People must be given a fair chance to introduce and sell themselves to a perspective employer. People of different cultures should not be held societal hostages by being prevented to interview for jobs, housing, or even credit in some cases.
Biased thinking creates hardships for all ethnicities and religions. For instance, a person with a Middle Eastern heritage runs the risk of being discriminated against due to the sound of his or her name. If this person applies for a job, the name on the application creates automatic suspicion about this person’s character.
According to The Legal Aid Society, “Language discrimination occurs when a person is treated differently because of that person’s native language or other characteristics of that person’s speech.” Immigrants may find this especially hard when migrating to the US. The Legal Aid Society notes that if an employee is ordered to only speak English at work, they are a victim of blatant discrimination. Further, it is also discriminatory if an individual is denied rights or privileges because of their inability to speak English.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 can apply to language discrimination in legal situations, but specific legislation on language discrimination is still in development. This legal gray does not give employers the right to discriminate because of a person’s accent, dialect, or language barriers. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 makes it illegal for someone to be discriminated against because of their race. A person’s race and their native tongue often go hand-in-hand.
Is it acceptable for an employer to treat the employee differently because of their accent? No it is not. The Legal Aid Society adds that this is in violation of the employee’s civil rights. However, if the employer feels the employee’s accent is debilitating to their job performance, certain actions can be taken. The Legal Aid Society further explains, “In other words, an employee’s accent must have a significant negative effect upon the employee’s ability to do the job. Moreover, the employer must fairly and objectively assess the accent. Often there are subtle prejudices against some accents more than others.”
The Legal Aid Society, based in San Francisco, is an employment center that helps low-income workers and their families by tackling issues that directly interfere with their ability to reach permanence. If you feel you are being discriminated against because of your accent or dialect you can receive more information on your language rights at: 800-864-1664 or log on to: www.las-elc.org