Whether or not your coworkers can legally make fun of your accent depends on the circumstances. Under federal and state law, discriminating against or harassing someone in the workplace based on his or her ethnicity is illegal. If your coworkers are making fun of you because of your ethnicity, that is illegal, and you may have certain legal rights against your employer.
Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, discrimination in employment based on religion, national origin, race, and color, among other traits, is illegal. This generally includes ethnicity. Ethnicity refers to a certain group of people that have racial, linguistic, religious, and other traits in common. Unfortunately, some people have negative feelings or stereotypes about members of some ethnic groups. If a person discriminates against a member of a particular ethnicity in the workplace, that person is violating both federal law as well as California law.
Therefore, if your coworkers are making fun of your accent because of your ethnicity, that could be considered illegal behavior and you may be able to take actions against your company. However, in order to be actionable, normally the behavior must rise to the level of creating a hostile work environment. Simple teasing or the occasional offhand comment normally would not be considered illegal behavior.
If you feel that you are the victim of harassment at work based on your ethnicity, you should speak to your employer. If nothing changes, you may wish to call an attorney. Call me, Conal Doyle, Los Angeles employment attorney, at 310-385-0567. Call today to learn or to schedule a free consultation.