Erath County reaches settlement with former employee who sued after being told she could no longer speak Spanish at work.
- Sep 12, 2024
- 1 min read
Updated: Sep 19, 2024
Erath County has settled a lawsuit with a former employee who sued after she was asked by her superior to sign an “English only” speaking memo.
Veronica Cajamarca filed suit against the county in December 2023 after she quit her job as a bilingual motor deputy clerk after refusing to sign the notice, which would have prohibited her from speaking Spanish at work.
Erath County Judge Brandon Huckabee confirmed to Beneath the Surface News on Thursday that a settlement has been reached.
“We reached a mutually acceptable resolution and we wish Ms. Cajamarca the best in the future,” Huckabee said.
That document Cajamarca was asked to sign stated:
“English is to be spoken at all times while at work. English is the primary language of a majority of the employees of this office and in order to facilitate an efficient and harmonious work environment all employee shall speak only the English language except in limited circumstances.
“Languages other than English (is) only to be used when translating for a non-speaking English customer.
“Violation of this rule is grounds for termination.”
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Cajamarca said she could not discuss the terms of the settlement, but said she’s “glad it’s over.”
It’s good to see this situation getting resolved. No one should feel punished for speaking their native language at work. Situations like this really highlight the importance of fair workplace policies. I’ve been looking at Browning Associates reviews lately, and it’s interesting to see how much people value companies that handle HR and employee issues professionally and respectfully.