In Estonia, a man was not hired because of the Russian language

An Estonian resident applied for a job at Veho AS and accidentally found out why he was not hired – he was sent a message: “Refusal. Russian-speaking.”

The failed employer justified the refusal by the fact that the native language of the applicant is Russian, so the company is not interested in his services. Thanks to an acquaintance with whom the young man shared information, a screenshot of the message with the true reason for non-cooperation began to spread rapidly on the network, causing a mixed reaction from users and a lot of discussion about discrimination and xenophobia, writes Postimees.

According to information that has become known to the publication, a resident of Estonia applied for a job at Veho AS, an authorized organization for the sale and maintenance of Mercedes-Benz and Fuso cars. However, his candidacy was rejected due to the fact that a Russian-speaking citizen is not suitable for the employer.

“They are trying to make us second-class people,” said the woman who shared the news about the real reason for the rejection. She claims that the applicant has extensive experience in this field and speaks Estonian:

“He speaks Estonian at B2 level and now works in a place where very specific terms are used that even native speakers themselves may not know: the names of complex parts or tools, techniques, etc.”

The incident sparked heated discussions. Some expressed disagreement with such actions, believing that such a decision is discrimination and a violation of human rights. They emphasize that everyone should have equal employment opportunities, regardless of their mother tongue.

Others supported the employer, arguing that the Estonian language requirement is both legal and necessary to work in certain areas. They point to the importance of language as a means of communication and understanding of local norms and values. However, the issue of insufficient language proficiency was not raised, since the applicant has the necessary communication skills in Estonian.

Politician Jana Toom took part in the debate and reacted to the sensational news: “You, good gentlemen, do not need to apologize, your apologies are worthless, but revise the personnel policy, and quickly.”

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