Legal Question in Employment Law in Texas

Hello, I'm needing some advice that I can positively apply to my productivity and advancement in my new job. I was hired with a company and today was my second day on the job. I still haven't been given a company handbook, so I have not been able to review the company policy, ect and I also haven't been asked to fill out an application, nor have they requested any of my information such as drivers license, social, ect. But furthermore, I now work in a shop doing metal fabrication, making AC units for oilfield companies, and I have not had any hands-on training whatsoever due to the fact that I am working with, to my knowledge and experience so far, non-english speaking co-workers. My main issue is that when I was hired I was not given information about needing to be bilingual and since I cannot communicate with my co-workers this is affecting my productivity greatly and I do not want this to be an issue, because I'm very qualified for this position, yet I still need the proper training that I feel I am not receiving. I have tried to communicate with my coworkers and ask basic questions that I have hoped would give me more direction and it has come across to me after many attempts that they aren't wanting to try and work with me. I've gotten the notion that I'm not welcome there by my co-workers and I feel like this will greatly effect my advancement in this company. I intend to address this issues with my hiring manager in the morning, but I would like advice on how to address these issues from the hiring process to the unapproachable demeanor that I feel my co-workers have, in a manner that is ethical and one that will aid me in being able to do my job to the best of my potential. I've heard a few of my co-workers speak fairly decent english to upper management when I was in the office, yet they absolutely refuse to speak to me in English and it appears that since I am the only Caucasian employee in the shop that that is putting me at a disadvantage. I can't afford to quit and I don't want to have to quit, but for me to be an asset to this company I desperately need to be able to get past the language barrier and to be given the opportunity to do the job I was hired to do. Thank you Mike from Texas, USA.


Asked on 11/03/11, 11:27 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Mark Dunn Mark D. Dunn

Number one: You should hang onto your job. The unemployment rate right now is 9%.

You don't specify what language the "bilingual" people are speaking, but I'll assume that it's Spanish. Your best solution is to learn Spanish. Go to Half Price Books this evening and plan to spend about $30. Tell the clerk what you're doing. Get books and DVDs of the Spanish language.

My guess is that if your co-workers see that you're trying to accommodate them (instead of insisting that they accommodate YOU) they'll be more approachable and helpful. Buena suerte.

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Answered on 11/04/11, 3:58 pm


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