Employment Agency Settles EEOC Charge Over ‘No-Spanish’ Rule

An employment firm based in Oregon and Washington will pay $276,000 and take additional measures to resolve a national origin discrimination and retaliation charge, according to the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

R & SL, doing business as Total Employment and Management, illegally fired five employees after they refused to follow a newly imposed rule against speaking Spanish at work, the commission said Wednesday. EEOC alleges the rule was implemented without adequate business justification.

Such conduct is in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In addition to monetary relief, the company will update policies and ...