English-only spoken here. Off to EQ training.

Dear Career Coach:
I am a programmer who grew up in India but became a U.S. citizen. Some of my colleagues, who work in adjoining cubicles, also grew up in India, and while we are all fluent in English, we enjoy speaking Hindi occasionally. Our supervisor has asked us to stick to English in the office. Is his request lawful?
BILINGUAL AND BAFFLED

DEAR B AND B:

Many employers prefer workers to speak English except when dealing with non-English-speaking customers, clients or vendors. They say employees who don't speak the other language may feel left out or even ridiculed. But the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission says that absent a valid business reason, English-only rules are discriminatory.

However, court opinions are mixed. In Garcia vs. Spun Steak Co., the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals disagreed with the EEOC's stance that English-only rules have an adverse impact on minorities. Because the plaintiffs spoke both English and Spanish, the court saw no harm in requiring them to speak only English at work. (For more information, see www.npelra. org/legal/workplaceenglish.asp.)

I suggest asking your supervisor what prompted her request. If she says you're making some of your co-workers uncomfortable, ask yourself how you'd feel in their shoes, then decide if this is a battle worth fighting.Just when I thought I'd heard every touchy-feely idea, my HR manager "suggested" I go for EQ training. Now I'll admit I've made end users cry on occasion, but only when they've done something really dumb. Is this EQ stuff for real?

Dear Career Coach:
Just when I thought I'd heard every touchy-feely idea, my HR manager "suggested" I go for EQ training. Now I'll admit I've made end users cry on occasion, but only when they've done something really dumb. Is this EQ stuff for real?
WANTED BY THE PC POLICE

DEAR WANTED:

Darn those pesky users! But geeks do have a reputation for being, well, insensitive in some circles. Go figure.Workplace-training experts say EQ, also known as Emotional Intelligence Quotient or EI, is something to consider when evaluating new hires and attempting to build a cohesive work force. By way of example, the Hay Group consultancy (ei.haygroup.com/default.asp) cites a global consumer-products company that used to see half its division presidents leave within two years of being hired, at a search cost of $4 million. By resorting to EQ evaluations, the company reduced the turnover to 6 percent.

EQ tests a person's motivation, teamwork, social and leadership skills, and ability to keep emotions under control. HR can tailor training based on this testing, and managers can use the results to ensure good relations among staff members. Experts say this training may also reduce employee stress. Find more information on EQ at the Consortium for Research on Emotional Intelligence (www.eiconsortium.org).

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