A Glendale optometrist's yearlong legal fight over what services he had to provide for a Spanish-speaking customer has translated into new protections for other businesses.
Gov. Jan Brewer has signed legislation affirming that nothing in state law requires businesses to provide "trained and competent" interpreters when a customer comes in speaking a language other than English.
Assistant Attorney General Michael Walker said that has probably always been the law. But that didn't save John Schrolucke from having to spend time and money defending himself and his practice before Walker's office finally dismissed the case.
Schrolucke told lawmakers the incident stems from a patient who spoke only Spanish. Although she did bring her 12-year-old child with her to the office, he said allowing the child to interpret for the parent would have gotten him into legal trouble.
He said he faced a potential malpractice lawsuit if the child did not properly translate some of the more technical explanations being provided, so he turned the woman away, telling her through her child to come back with someone at least 18 years old.
Schrolucke said he also gave the woman the option of going to one or two other optometrists who speak Spanish.
Instead, he said, the woman filed a discrimination complaint with the Attorney General's Office.
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I am outraged at the Hispanic people's audacity and sense of entitlement to dictate that we must have interpreters for them when they are in our country! They should be required to learn English if they want to become U.S. citizens! It's bad enough we have to hear press 2 for Spanish. Our country is pathetic to have to bow down to these people most of which are illegal. Look what they are costing our country. It's time for a change before we have a civil war on our hands. Go back to where you came from if you can't speak our language! What a disgrace! I would not expect such treatment if I were to travel abroad. When in Rome, do as the Romans. We as a nation need to adopt this philosophy When in the U.S. do at the U.S. and speak English or get out!
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