Ethnically Speaking by Larry Meeks

Dear Larry: My employer posted a notice from a legal Web site that stated that supervisors in a diverse workplace need to be given extra sensitivity training to avoid illegal bias.

This need for more instruction happened because a woman from Mexico spoke English with such an accent that her fellow employees often responded to her comments by yelling "what?" or "I do not understand you."

This woman complained to her supervisor about her treatment. The boss replied that her fellow employees were just voicing legitimate complaints about her speaking skills.

The woman disagreed, and she sued the company for allowing a hostile work environment to take place.

Believe it or not, the court decided her English was good enough for her to do the job. The court also decided the co-workers were not making legitimate complaints, and the behavior was deemed taunting and harassing.

Larry, please respond to this posting. Your answer also could apply to communicating with stroke sufferers or anyone with speaking difficulties. — Phil

Dear Phil: Just when I think I have heard every angle to discrimination, another one comes up to surprise me.

The co-workers have a right to and should tell someone they do not understand her words. This finding by the court on the surface seems to be expanding political correctness to another level.

With that said, the court's finding may not have anything to do with co-workers asking for clarification. Everything depends upon context. I can visualize the employees saying those words just to tease, harass or belittle.

I believe this case should be a warning that any supervisor must be diligent and investigate each and every complaint regardless of how frivolous it may sound.

There are many supervisors who have been removed from their positions because they just brushed complaints aside or felt they did not have merit.

If any complaint involves anything related to race, religion, gender, sexual orientation or physical disabilities, alert signals should arise, and a complete investigation and documentation must be completed for the record.

If there is any merit to the complaint, I would recommend an outsider conduct the investigation.

Dear Larry: I want to thank you for supporting fathers and advocating that fathers stay involved with their children's lives. There should be more people like you. Please keep up the good work. — Loretta

Dear Loretta: Thank you for the kind words. Most people who wrote to me about this subject agreed with you. However, there are always a few who disagree. Read on.

From Robert: Keep your opinions to yourself. My father was a jerk. He was lazy and beat the crap out of my mother and me. My mother did it all. I did not and do not need a father. There is nothing about him for which I am thankful; that includes his sperm.

From A.B.: I am a single mother and have raised seven children alone. The children's father decided that the grass was greener on the other side and that a childless 23-year-old was better. All the children are now grown. All but one finished college, and none of them ended up on the wrong side of the law.

Who needs fathers? They are not reliable and only cause pain.

To Robert and A.B.: I understand your pain, but all fathers are not like the ones in your experiences. It is obvious you are carrying a lot of pain. Please seek someone to help you let go.

To find out more about Larry G. Meeks and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

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