 November/December 2000 Issue Number 17
 Is a monthly electronic newsletter which links current events and issues to the daily challenges faced by fire and emergency services managers. Current topics in the area of sexual harassment, diversity management and conflict resolution will be discussed.
We hope that you find the information here useful and provocative.
Let us know what you think!
Fifth Biennial Women in Uniform Conference, November 30- December 1, 2000, Arlington, VA. For information call: 202-628-0444 ext. 12.
International Conference of Women in Firefighting, March 13-18, 2001 Cobb County, GA. Contact Women in the Fire Service at www.wfsi.org for more information.
National Center for Women in Policing, Sixth Annual Conference, April 4-8, 2001, Palm Springs, CA. Call 323-651-2532 for more information.
"Can Sensitivity Be Taught? Rethinking Diversity Training" April 30- May 6, 2001, Sacramento, CA. This workshop will be presented during the FDIC West Conference. For registration information, call 888-299-8016.
Getting Along is Key Mission
NASA has had to meet many challenges to make the new International Space Station operational. Issues of budget, logistics, and technical systems are critical. But one issue looms even larger in the minds of those running the space station program: How will those working in the station get along?
The space station crews will be international: Russian and American to start, and later to include scientists from Japan, Canada, Brazil, and most European countries. NASA managers recognize that how people get along at an individual level in space will prove critical to the overall success of any mission. "When you get more people up there, coalitions can form," commented one insider. "That can be deadly."
When people work so closely together, small things count. The finer points of what to eat, what language to speak, what kind of pre-flight rituals to observe, and how to solve routine problems will determine how well each team functions. In preparation, training has been given to astronauts and ground crews in conflict resolution and communication skills.
When people must work together in close quarters under stressful conditions - whether it is in space or in the fire station– problems will arise. Smart organizations plan ahead for this eventuality and do not discount the potential impact of what may seem in the moment to be a trivial interpersonal dispute. A clear and meaningful common goal is the most important factor in making diverse groups cohesive. Beyond that, giving people the skills and support to resolve small conflicts is critical to any successful mission.
Source: The Los Angeles Times, November 2, 2000.
In response to increasing recruitment difficulties, the Denver Civil Service Commission has begun daily computerized testing for prospective police candidates. The new system is expected to expedite the application process as well as save money compared to a yearly paper-and-pencil test. Other cities have also gone to more frequent testing for police officers– monthly in Seattle and weekly in Los Angeles.
Source: The Denver Post, September 18, 2000.
Language Problems
A Massachusetts state corrections officer recently won a discrimination lawsuit after he was suspended for refusing to act as a Spanish language interpreter. The plaintiff, Orlando Santiago, was reinstated and given $10,000 in damages for what was described as emotional distress caused by the suspension.
Mr. Santiago was ordered to act as an interpreter during a prison hearing, but refused because he felt his language skills were not adequate for the job and also because acting as a translator was not part of his job description. He was suspended for insubordination.
The Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination determined that Mr. Santiago had been discriminated against because the charge of insubordination was based solely on his national origin and stereotypical notions about his language ability. Lawyers who commented on the case said that although it is common for employers to ask workers to do things that are outside their usual job descriptions, no one should be ordered to do something that others in the same position are not required to do.
This case brings up important issues for organizations that are serving an increasingly diverse customer base. It is not wrong to want employees to use their language skills while at work, and it is smart for organizations to seek out multilingual employees. But you cannot require that someone use skills in a second language unless that is specifically part of the job description. Likewise, you should not make assumptions about someone’s usefulness based solely on assumed language ability or national origin, such as only assigning bilingual firefighters to a particular station.
This country is becoming increasingly diverse and multilingual. Emergency workers who speak more than one language should be respectfully treated as the asset they are.
Source: Findlaw.com, August 21, 2000.
© Linda F. Willing, 2000
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