And so it begins: I have a MSM in HR and my last position I was laid off due to February 2025 Federal budget cuts.

24 Comments

1. AnonymousSeptember 1,2025 at 2:12PM UTC

   Sounds like you need an employment attorney

2. AnonymousSeptember 2,2025 at 12:50PM UTC

   The At-Will employment agreement (which is the lengthy, three-page document that everyone signs) states that she understands she's at-will. That kaboshes any lawsuit.

3. Mira HornbeakSeptember 1,2025 at 2:19PM UTC

   are you allowed to use your phone to translate? If so, turn the translate app on and it will translate their Spanish to English in real time. that would at least keep you in the know until you can learn Spanish or get an attorney to assist you.

4. BarbaraSeptember 2,2025 at 1:33PM UTC

   Good idea while she is learning Spanish.

5. AnonymousSeptember 1,2025 at 4:33PM UTC

   Call the EEOC and file a formal complaint. Also perhaps speak to an employment attorney because you may have a good case for discrimination if you have good documentation. Good luck.

6. AnonymousSeptember 2,2025 at 10:20AM UTC

   This woman was laid off in February, do you really think she has money to retain an attorney? Thus board always jump to litigation, get real!

7. AnonymousSeptember 2,2025 at 12:48PM UTC

   Respectfully, this is a pie-in-the-sky response. EVEN if she were to get an attorney from a public bar program, where she would be able to get pro bono advice, it would cost $50.

   On her own, it would be $450 for a 30-minute consultation.. And she hasn't been reprimanded or put on PPE. If anything, she could be fired, being an at-will employee (which most states practice).

   There is literally no way she has a discrimination case, and it's incredibly irresponsible to advise on this, on this board.

8. AnonymousSeptember 2,2025 at 5:01PM UTC

   OP above, and you are wrong. I work in legal and know that she might possibly have a case but without direct info from her I cannot offer specific legal advisement here. Most states have a legal referral group that will meet with potential clients for a nominal fee. If she has a strong case they might take it on. My state offers one hour free for new clients through the lawyers bar service. Don't bash those who know more than you if you disagree with their opinion. If they fire her for trying to determine her claim she will have a claim for retaliation.

9. AnonymousSeptember 2,2025 at 10:21AM UTC

   Serious question: what do you expect your state rep to do? They’re just not going to get involved in employment disputes.

10. Dr. Patty GrossSeptember 2,2025 at 12:27PM UTC

    Did they ask you in the interview if you were willing to learn Spanish or any other language? Are you a contractor? If so, I'm not sure that even the EEOC can help you much. I would reactivate my job search after this type of "bait and switch."

11. AnonymousSeptember 2,2025 at 12:39PM UTC

    My question is, was ANY of this reflected in the job description and responsibilities? The net-net is you're officially an employee if the paperwork was finished. I imagine you'll be let go soon since you aren't able to fulfill the responsibilities set forth after you were hired (as ridiculous as it sounds), and you haven't even been there long enough to collect any unemployment.

    A state rep will handle Labor Department issues (as in, passing it along to a staff member to look into major issues involving NYS Labor Dept., not bait & switch jobs. (Basically, government-related issues.)

    I would give my two weeks, finish that out as long as they allow, so you have some amount of money coming back, however little, and cut your losses.

    Learning a new language as an adult is difficult. Learning a new language, training for a new position, while acclimating to a new company that seems like like they don't care if you succeed or not - not worth the energy or stress.

    I know the job market it difficult (I've been looking since December 2024, so I get it). Perhaps look into temp agencies in the meantime, DoorDash, Instacart, Wag!, etc. It can be humbling, but w/ some hustle, you can cover most bills while looking for a new job. Good luck!

12. GirlBossanova934974September 2,2025 at 12:53PM UTC

    So I am confused here. Whomever hired you knew you did not speak Spanish. Knew it good and well. And now you find yourself onboarding 25 Spanish only speakers per day. How does this synch up? Something is very wrong here. I would talk to your supervisor immediately. Based upon my 4 decades of work experience, it sounds like the inmates have taken over the asylum aka the clerks are running the ship and the supervisor is no where to be found and has zero idea what is going on.

13. rgstaffing@bellsouth.netSeptember 3,2025 at 1:03PM UTC

    I agree. It is ridiculous and i have never heard of such a thing in my 47 years experience and i place a lot of bilinguals. But they don't have to learn the language...

14. AnonymousSeptember 2,2025 at 12:55PM UTC

    Your first priority is your mental health. Can you reset your attitude to “I’m never going to make it here but I’m going to learn all the Spanish I can and collect a paycheck till they fire me?” Maybe think of it as more of an internship experience? I had an awful job for 5 months and learned tons until I got a better one. I quit at the start of the meeting where they were going to PIP me. I had my emotional shield firmly in place but what I learned about the industry was invaluable. And I got paid. But if not, get out.

    Understand your state employment laws. In some cases, if you aren’t at job long enough to get unemployment, but that job terminates you for inability to perform, you can get back on the unemployment you had before that job started. It just depends on the state. Good luck, this is a crazy situation.

15. AnonymousSeptember 2,2025 at 1:31PM UTC

    Try the Pimsler methods. So effective since it doesn’t seem like you have a choice. I used it to learn Italian and could not believe how much I got in a very short period of time. You can absolutely do this. And just to be a bit of spiteful person don’t let the Spanish speakers know how much you know and surprise them. There may be one or two that will be impressed and help you. They aren’t wrong and have had to do this their entire careers and have faced lots of snotty bosses and colleagues. Go for it and don’t pout. You’ve got this! Report back.

16. AnonymousSeptember 2,2025 at 3:37PM UTC

    Duolingo is free, fun and you can select your level. Good luck!

17. AnonymousSeptember 2,2025 at 11:04PM UTC

    oofda - it actually sounds like a hostile work environment.

    IMHO their comment that they had to learn English is garbage …. Well if you are in the USA the language is English and you need to learn learn English. Had you moved to Mexico then I would expect you to learn Spanish and so on.

    Was there anything in the original post about learning Spanish?

    I would document everything- and if sounds like you were hired to fill a quota and the one’s training you have no interest in you learning.

    in the meantime can you use google translate? Or Microsoft translate, apple translate, or say hi?

    I wood use it translate and document everything (I would also NOT tell your “trainers” you are using this)

18. AnonymousSeptember 3,2025 at 1:03AM UTC

    Yes, use the translators on your phone to communicate. If you have any training in Spanish at all, then you can properly pronounce those words and just read the script to the clients.

    Meanwhile, apply to get another job because management has no idea what is happening at that office.

    And that is exactly how America is today in 2025. They say anything and everything to get you in the job, then later tell you what it actually is. It is as if they (accurately) think, “ The federal government does not obey its own labor laws. Why should we do anything ethically of it is inconvenient for us?” And then they follow the laws and mores of their own original country, because that is what is comfortable for themselves.

    And in the us federal government, supervisors are not allowed to give neutral references. The exit page they get to fill out for each employee leaving allows only besmirching of work quality or ruining the reputation of your character. You have to get a personalized letter of recommendation because only negative things are on the form a supervisor has to fill out when an employee leaves for any reason, even an Elon musk and DOGE firing of newly hired people.

19. rgstaffing@bellsouth.netSeptember 3,2025 at 12:59PM UTC

    If Bilingual Spanish was a requirement, why did they interview you? I would look for another job. I think this job was misrepresented... someone dropped the ball.

20. Cindy McCrorySeptember 3,2025 at 2:40PM UTC

    Use google translate....its an app. I use it to communicate with my hispanic employees. I hand them my phone and they type in their responses, and it translates for me. Also, there is https://www.babbel.com/. Show your work people you are using these and truly try to learn basic conversational spanish. Its the easiest (most like English) language you can learn. Good luck!

21. Leader135412September 3,2025 at 3:15PM UTC

    sorry you were lied to about the bi-lingual thing, but you don't have to learn another language. If this is a problem, continue your job search. They lied to you and bring it up every time they bother you about it.

22. LynettaSeptember 4,2025 at 6:51PM UTC

    I was working in a very diverse production facility owned by naturalized South Americas. When DEI started, they jumped on with BOTH feet. Consequently, when I left, we were 90% native Spanish speakers, running on skeleton crew since the return from COVID. They hemorrhaged many well experienced employees.

    I was lauded for using Google translate to engage with clients (I used English and Spanish in my emails) but couldn't speak or understand much past basic conversation and they all spoke VERY fast.

    I tied Duolingo and found it to be too advanced in "beginner" areas for me but too "beginner" in the parts of Spanish I was familiar with.

    Document EVERYTHING. Learn as much as you can and continue to look elsewhere.

23. AnonymousSeptember 6,2025 at 1:55PM UTC

    Learning any second language is a positive in any working situation. Use the learning process as your excuse whenever needed during your spare time at work, as well as take time out of your work day to practice and learn.

    In the meantime, use Google translator on your mobile to translate for you during onboarding. Don't let this behavior be the cause of any negative outcomes for you.

    Call your state rep first and tell them your plan, and take heed to what they advise. If you have never met or seen your supervisor, why do you think this will help? Think through the entire scenario before acting on it. Know what to expect. You can do this!

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