Balearic Parliament wants law to make shops employ staff who speak Catalan

Bars and restaurants will presumably be included

Bars and restaurants will presumably be included Credit: Amada44 Creative Commons

IN 2001, a law was passed by the Balearic Government that shops should be required to employ Catalan as well as Spanish speakers but this was repealed by the Government of José Ramón Bauzá.
Now the intention is that any shop with more than three members of staff will be required by law to respond in Catalan if addressed in that language by a customer.
The matter is the be placed before the Balearic Parliament later this year and may also require that this be extended to include any written enquiries, business quotations and invoices as well as street signs.
If this law is passed, there will be a significant financial burden on businesses having to obtain new documentation and train staff if they are not already able to speak fluent Catalan which after the costs incurred during the pandemic and lockdown may be difficult for many small employers in particular.
What is yet to be decided is the penalty for any breach of the new law if passed.

Written by

John Smith

Married to Ophelia in Gibraltar in 1978, John has spent much of his life travelling on security print and minting business and visited every continent except Antarctica. Having retired several years ago, the couple moved to their house in Estepona and John became a regular news writer for the EWN Media Group taking particular interest in Finance, Gibraltar and Costa del Sol Social Scene. Currently he is acting as Editorial Consultant for the paper helping to shape its future development. Share your story with us by emailing newsdesk@euroweeklynews.com, by calling +34 951 38 61 61 or by messaging our Facebook page www.facebook.com/EuroWeeklyNews

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