QUESTION:
I am dating a girl whose sister lives in Florida and needs a job. She is applying for a sales position at Sephora, the makeup store. Someone mentioned that it can be challenging to get hired in Florida without knowing Spanish because many people there speak it. However, at this particular Sephora, the customers do not speak Spanish, so not being able to speak the language should not matter. Is it okay for her to claim on her resume that she speaks Spanish even if she does not?
ANSWER:
No, this is not permitted. This is a clear-cut case of both Geneivas Da'as (deception) and Sheker (falsehood), and it is strictly forbidden. The rationalization that the store’s customers are not Spanish-speaking anyway, does not make it permissible.
The prohibition of Geneivas Da'as is central to the Torah's framework for ethical behavior. The esteemed sage Shmuel, in Chullin 94a, affirms this principle by asserting its universal applicability, extending it to both Jew and Gentile alike. Notably, Shaarei Teshuvah (3:181) maintains that even instances where untruths are generally permitted for the sake of peace (Mutar L'shanos Mipnei HaShalom) they remain prohibited in instances when Geneivas Da'as is involved.
Rabbi Moshe Feinstein ZT”L explains in his Igros Moshe (Choshen Mishpat Vol. I #30) that cheating on school tests is essentially stealing from a future employer. This is because the future employer expects the applicant to have completed their education honestly and hires them based on that assumption, ultimately paying them under false pretenses. The same logic applies here: if someone claims on their resume to speak Spanish but does not, the employer is being misled and ends up paying for a skill the employee actually lacks, even if speaking Spanish is not really necessary.
However, if the applicant can acquire a foundational proficiency in Spanish, then it would be appropriate to indicate "rudimentary Spanish" or "basic conversational Spanish" on her resume, accurately reflecting her capabilities. If required, she would be able to provide an honest account of her language skills to potential employers. Many organizations recognize the value of even basic language proficiency, and this method allows her to improve her employability without violating the principles of Sheker or Geneivas Da'as.
