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National Origin & Language Discrimination

Federal law protects workers from discrimination based on where they're from, their accent, their name, or their language — including workplace policies that prohibit speaking a language other than English.

What national origin discrimination covers

Title VII prohibits discrimination based on a person's country of origin, ancestry, culture, or linguistic characteristics. That includes treating someone worse because of their accent, their name, their appearance associated with a particular ethnicity, or their association with people of a particular national origin.

English-only rules

Employers may require employees to speak English on the job only if there is a legitimate, narrowly tailored business reason — like safety in an environment where communication is critical. Blanket English-only rules that apply at all times, including breaks, are presumptively discriminatory under EEOC guidance.

Accent discrimination

An employer may not base a hiring or employment decision on an accent unless it materially interferes with job performance. Rejecting or demoting someone simply because their accent sounds foreign — with no evidence it affects communication — is national origin discrimination.

Red flags to watch for

Denied a promotion or position despite qualifications, and the role went to a native-born candidate
Disciplined for speaking your native language during breaks or in private conversations
Comments about your accent, name, or country of origin from supervisors who were not corrected
Told to "Americanize" your name for customer-facing work
Performance reviews that mention your accent as a problem without specific, documented communication failures

Next up

Background Checks & Hiring Discrimination