Dive Summary:
- Two Whole Foods employees in Albuquerque, N.M., claimed that they were suspended for one day in May for violating the company's English-only policy, the Associated Press reports.
- A Whole Foods spokesman issued a statement on the matter, confirming that "all English speaking Team Members must speak English to customers and other Team Members while on the clock.”
- Non-English languages are permitted when all parties present agree upon the language to be spoken or if a customer does not speak English.
- [UPDATE]: In a statement, Whole Foods says it is re-evaluating its language policy "as we speak, and it will be the topic of ongoing conversations at an all-leadership conference next week."
From the article:
"... Ben Friedland, Whole Foods Market Rocky Mountain Region Executive Marketing Coordinator, said the Austin, Texas-based company believes in “having a uniform form of communication” for a safe working environment. ..."
