As an Employee for Wholefoods Market on 5th and wilshire, I have been treated as an outcast by my department for the simple fact I don't speak spanish, I'm constantly being put down a ridiculed for never being taught Spanish in my Household, constantly being told i'm not a true Mexican and that I'm a white Valley Girl, all employees in my Department speak Spanish in the Department and even in front of customers, Including my own Boss, she was the one that told me there is no spanish in the Department when I got hired, but she dosent practice it or reinterate the Policy, a recent customer complaint, had her tell all not to speak it and then 2 days later she is speaking spanish and joking out load, I said we have a customer, she then told me"Oh Shut Up"! My department is runned so 3rd world, I have no chance to be heard, I should look forward to coming to work instead I dread it. One employee( a male) for some reason and I know why but choose not to say thinks he can constantly boss me around and dictate my job throughout the day, he is an equal employee to me not a supervisor at all. He has been doing this to me for months, finally met a breaking point and he exagerated the situation they only listened to him because I was crying at this point and the whole time he was smirking, so since when is showing emotion to months of harrassment a non believable statement? Seeking help for this through different Regional office and corporate office was a waste of time, why do they have a department called Team Member Services Resourses.SAD but no one cares in this company, its the worse company to work for and the Boss gets away with treating the employees badly no matter what the truth is.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Start asking them why they can't speak English? Are they legally? if they are, they they should be able to speak English. There are signs everywhere!
I sympathize with Msfedup. Toothless Old Lady only gives your complaint credibility. I can see by TOL's response the crass, demeaning, unprofessional conditions in which you work. Can you contact an attorney to see if you have cause for a lawsuit. Can you sue the store as well as those that are creating the hostile work environment (TOL)? Show the attorney the above response from TOL. You might have a suit for age discrimination with TOL's remark: "you are ugly and old lady". I will no longer do my shopping at that store. I'm of Mexican descent and would describe what you are going through as discrimination. Bigotry is bigotry. I once had a boss that felt I wasn't Mexican enough. I responded that I am an American; have no allegiance to Mexico. When I resigned on good terms, he told me that he learned a lot from me about being a Mexican-American. It's a terrible feeling when those around you are speaking another language at your place of employment and you have a distinct feeling that they are talking about you! See an attorney with a copy of the above response in hand. She identifies herself as your co-worker and even knows your name. The store could very well be liable.
Illegal immigrants shouldn't be here, period. They need to go through the legal process, like my grandparents and perhaps yours. They need to go through the legal process that so many others today are following. If they are here they should learn English. If I were living in another country I would attempt to speak the language of the land at every opportunity. I worked for a public agency in Ventura County. Customers would begin to speak Spanish to me and I would inform them that I didn't speak Spanish, some became very annoyed. I thought, wait a minute, you're in my country and you're annoyed that I can't speak YOUR language? I asked if they spoke English. When they said they did not. I asked them why not? I would say "It is good for you to learn English." Guess what? 9 times out of 10 they could speak English. Then on the other side are those Americans (like my in-laws) that hate having illegals here, hate hearing Mexican music, hate seeing the Mexican flag and yet when it comes to hiring an illegal for construction work on their home, or needing to hire a gardener or a housekeeper they don't bother to check the legal status. Then they're fine with illegals, as long as they get cheap labor. It should be a felony to knowing hire an illegal immigrant.
To Msfedup: You should take a copy of TOL's post to your HR department. She published your name on this forum. She should be terminated.
I ordered a special cereal for a client of mine over 2 weeks ago and got NO follow up from these guys. When I went to the store to find out what the problem was, I was passed off to a second and then a third large child with an attitude problem. The people that work here are way too hip to help anyone and I find the whole thing nauseating. I will shop at the local Co-op before ever coming back here.