Thrifty Australia condemns Darwin operator’s inflammatory email

FOREIGN employees at an NT business have been told to “speak English” in the workplace “at all times” in a decree that could breach the Anti-Discrimination Act.

Thrifty Car Rental in Stuart Park general manager Brian Measey has not responded to the NT News about an email sent to staff about speaking English. Picture: Justin Kennedy

FOREIGN employees at an NT business have been told to “speak English” in the workplace “at all times” in a decree that could breach the Anti-Discrimination Act.

In the email banning workers from uttering foreign languages at Thrifty Car Rental in Stuart Park, all staff were reminded that “English is the spoken language in Australia”.

“English is the spoken language in Australia, and those from foreign countries working on our premises are required to speak English on the premises at all times,” read the email signed off by managing director Brian Measey.

The NT News understands the email, sent out to staff on Wednesday morning, left employees feeling distressed and intimidated. Thrifty Australia yesterday moved to distance itself from the email and the Stuart Park franchise.

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A Thrifty Australia spokesman told the NT News: “Thrifty Australia is appalled by the language used in this email. Our organisation believes such language is contrary to our values and is counter-productive to an organisation with diverse staff and customers.”

The spokesman denied the company forbid its foreign employees to speak in different languages at work.

“Thrifty Australia encourages and promotes diversity and we expect the same of our franchisees,” the spokesman said. “Staff who speak languages other than English are invaluable to our business and encouraged to speak in other languages when talking to international customers.

The spokesman said the company was “investigating the matter and ensuring necessary support is provided to all staff”.

NT Anti-Discrimination Commissioner Sally Sievers told the NT News the contents of the email could constitute workplace discrimination.

“An email of this type to staff in a workplace could potentially be race discrimination at work, as race under the Anti-Discrimination Act includes the nationality, ethic or national origin of a person,” Ms Sievers said.

While the requirement to speak English in the workplace is not discrimination per se, Ms Sievers said commanding foreign workers to speak English “at all times” posed issues.

“There may be public facing roles that a person in a workplace undertakes or other aspects of a person’s work role that require English to be spoke, but a broad sweeping statement, such as the one in the email in question, runs a risk of fitting within the framework of the Anti-Discrimination Act.”

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According to the Australian Human Rights Commission, a workplace instituting an overall policy demanding employees speak one language may constitute workplace bullying and/or indirect discrimination.

“Indirect discrimination is where there is an unreasonable rule or policy — for example, that all employees speak English — that has an unequal impact on different groups.”

Should a complaint be lodged with the NT Anti-Discrimination Commission, the ruling could create a precedent as no previous rulings have been made in the NT regarding language discrimination in the workplace.

Thrifty Stuart Park did not respond to requests for comment.