English and French in the workplace...what federal employees need to know (March 1995)
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Examples of situations that come up at work
9. I am an English-speaking employee working at a Canada Employment Centre in Sherbrooke in a bilingual position. Most of my colleagues are French-speaking. I can function quite well in French, but sometimes it is a strain. Do I have the right to work in English - for example, writing memos in English or speaking English at staff meetings?
Yes, if these exchanges take place within your bilingual region. However, if the duties of your position also require you to provide supervision, or personal or central services, see questions 2 and 5.
10. I am a bilingual, French-speaking federal employee working in a bilingual position in the National Capital Region. For a long time I have been working in English simply because most of my colleagues speak English. What are my rights regarding language of work?
Since you are in the National Capital Region, you have the right to work in either official language. For example, you can speak French in meetings and write memos or reports, receive supervision and personal and central services in French.
11. Our agency is installing a new electronic data processing system in all our offices across Canada. Does this mean that every office must provide user manuals and software packages in both official languages?
No. User manuals and software packages need only be available in both official languages in bilingual regions. However, any documents that employees need to provide services to the public must be available in both official languages, even in regions that are unilingual for language of work.
12. Under what circumstances would federal employees working in unilingual regions have the right to use work instruments in both official languages?
In unilingual regions employees who must serve the public in both official languages are entitled to "regularly and widely used" work instruments in both English and French. Work units in unilingual regions that are responsible for supervising or providing personal and central services to employees in bilingual regions must also be able to provide these services in both official languages.
