Phone excuse??

[shel90]

I noticed that many deaf people dont get hired in the fields such as medical records, graphic designing, computer programming, and store management. Usually the reason is the inability to do phone duties. Now, we have emails, pager, and relay services so why is that still an issue? I am starting to wonder if that is used as an excuse not to hire deaf people? What do u think?

 

[PowerON]

I'm graphic designer, I work. I know I work for deaf company. However, on my previous professional job, same job, no need phone for me. I had someone to take call for me.

 

[shel90]

I'm graphic designer, I work. I know I work for deaf company. However, on my previous professional job, same job, no need phone for me. I had someone to take call for me.

So means those companies who told my friend that they couldnt hire him cuz of his inability to do phone work dont really want to hire a deaf person? It seemed suspicous to me cuz I dont see how being a graphic designer have phone duties. :sure:

 

[TFWFalcon]

Common way is problem communication by phones. Carrier must have CB radio, computer programing when CPU is down then have call for repair service. Taxi must have use CB radio and cellphones. Delivery need use phones due if you lost or wrong direction address. Builders is use cellphones for reason call city inspection for approve safety, codes of house bahbah so on. There jobs is more use communications thur phones and cellphones. I see few SK and Blackberry for hearing use. I work at menards my supervisor have blackberry. I explained him that can communication with my SK2 and his. LOL I am lucky can communication with him if need help or need delivery truck. It was variables. some deaf are stuck that require need to use cellphone or phone. Remember today high-tech is never stop new development communication techniques. I don't know what is look like next ten years and how effect deaf people workplace with high tech communication devices.

 

[VamPyroX]

I noticed that many deaf people dont get hired in the fields such as medical records, graphic designing, computer programming, and store management. Usually the reason is the inability to do phone duties. Now, we have emails, pager, and relay services so why is that still an issue? I am starting to wonder if that is used as an excuse not to hire deaf people? What do u think?

I have friends who worked at the hospital in medical records, friends who are graphic designers, friends who are computer programmers (some work at Microsoft), and some who are store managers. I was one a manager at Blockbuster Video and I didn't have to answer the phone.

With relay services, that's something that is a problem on the customer's side. We can't tell every customer to call relay and then call Blockbuster Video just to talk to the manager who is deaf and using a TTY.

 

[Jolie77]

I noticed that many deaf people dont get hired in the fields such as medical records, graphic designing, computer programming, and store management. Usually the reason is the inability to do phone duties. Now, we have emails, pager, and relay services so why is that still an issue? I am starting to wonder if that is used as an excuse not to hire deaf people? What do u think?

I work at a health insurance company to process the applications and claims. Of course, my position requires to have some kind of communication tool such as telephone, so and on. They were, at first, a little bit resistant by hiring me due to my deafness. I asked them to give me a trial to prove my ability that I wasn't going to let my deafness get in the way. They were willing to give me a trial period and apparently it worked because they asked me to be a quality control team auditor.

Whenever I need to use a telephone to call a member to verify their informations, so and on - I usually would ask a hearing co-worker to make the call for me which was not a problem since all of them were willing to do that.

My company also provides blackberry only for work-related issues. The advantage of using the blackberry is when I am able to get in touch with the clients or my supervisors.

I admit, For the first few months, It was not easy trying to get through and to show how it is done but the persistence paid off for me. I also kept in mind that some of the clients would not be comfortable by using the relay services in order to communicate with me but after a while, those clients who frequently kept in touch were starting to get accustomed afterwards. They didn't have any problem with that which was good for me, I guess.

So, really - It depends on how much the employers of various companies are dependent on those telephones. I'm aware that just about every companies have to have telephones in order to keep the business running. It doesn't mean that it should stop you one way or other.

 

[shel90]

I just wonder if the companies are willing to make accodomations when it comes to the phone issue. If the company relies on customer service, wonder if the company can set up an email system so the deaf person can deal with customers via email?

If phone work is required to communicate with other employees, I dont see why the companies can purchase pagers like TWFalcon's boss did.

I just dont see why in today's times, phones are still the only method used to communicate with customers or other co workers?

 

[WhisperHorse]

I noticed that also. But I did work in the Office for Senior Center and Township Hall for three summers, I don't have to use the phone, my boss or other person would take the call or make the call for me. It's pretty easier, but right now I bet it would be diffcult if I apply for office to working, they might wouldn't hire me because of my deafness, so they would have more hard time thinking about to hire me or not because of my experience...

 

[VamPyroX]

I just wonder if the companies are willing to make accodomations when it comes to the phone issue. If the company relies on customer service, wonder if the company can set up an email system so the deaf person can deal with customers via email?

If phone work is required to communicate with other employees, I dont see why the companies can purchase pagers like TWFalcon's boss did.

I just dont see why in today's times, phones are still the only method used to communicate with customers or other co workers?

I'm sure some companies have that.

 

[Reba]

...I just dont see why in today's times, phones are still the only method used to communicate with customers or other co workers?

Some customers/clients communicate by phone only. Not all people use computers, email, text, etc., for communication. Especially older people. They don't all have computers, and they prefer to speak to a real live person in customer service.

I'm not saying that's an excuse to not hire Deaf employees. I'm just explaining that the phone is still the only method of communication for some customers and clients.

 

[Endymion]

I think it's unfortunate and it's definitely (but definitely doesn't mean always) been used against the deaf and HoH before.

I mean I understand the critical value of the phone in the professional environment. Salespeople, for example, know that they're more likely to turn a prospect into a sale if they call over the phone rather than send an e-mail.

That you hear another person has a powerful psychological effect that is very important in business. Additionally, verbal English is how most people most naturally communicate (think about all the people out there in general society who struggle with writing but not speaking), and in business, that again becomes important.

But there are workarounds. There are approaches. And I think that as things are, we will benefit from continuing to apply our brains and figure ways to handle this.

 

[shel90]

I think it's unfortunate and it's definitely (but definitely doesn't mean always) been used against the deaf and HoH before.

I mean I understand the critical value of the phone in the professional environment. Salespeople, for example, know that they're more likely to turn a prospect into a sale if they call over the phone rather than send an e-mail.

That you hear another person has a powerful psychological effect that is very important in business. Additionally, verbal English is how most people most naturally communicate (think about all the people out there in general society who struggle with writing but not speaking), and in business, that again becomes important.

But there are workarounds. There are approaches. And I think that as things are, we will benefit from continuing to apply our brains and figure ways to handle this.[/QUOTE]

Yea, that is what I am trying to figure out...why not? There has to be some way...wouldnt that be great?

 

[sr171soars]

To answer Shel's question at the beginning, I don't believe that it is "used" as an excuse not to hire deaf people. It does however play as a factor in terms of suitability for the job especially if it requires extensive phone usage. It really depends on the nature of the job and how much phone usage is necessary.

As Reba pointed out, there are still many people out there that don't have a computer or other technological gadget that many of us take for granted. The phone is the only way to go for many people. Typically, it is much faster than any type/written style of communication.

Now, I'm a computer programmer and managed for a long time not having to use the phone much. Emails and other stuff helped big time and still do. Since I had my CI, I have been able to use the phone on a regular basis and believe me it makes a great deal of difference in getting things done. I use the phone to get an answer or something accomplish quickly while I use email when time is not an issue.

 

[Kuifje75]

I work in a "quasi-supervisory" position at a medical company, and I deal with a lot of hearing workers. I never use the phone to communicate with anyone, and when I need to, I simply ask one of the leads to do it for me. There is also a HOH woman working in the same position as me, and telephone was never really an issue for us. We rely heavily on emails and computers. because it is really a data entry environment for the workers and they are already using computers anyway.

When I once worked at Borders as a special order clerk, they gave me a secretary so that she could make phone calls for me. They never thought that my being deaf was going to be a problem. They thought that I was very good at finding books and ordering them for publishers and vendors. We also relied heavily on faxes from publishers and vendors to let us know about book orders we placed. Sometimes, when I go onto the floor to communicate with a customer, I explain that I am deaf and they always were fine with talking with me by writing.

To sum it up, I believe that if you work in a very supportive work environment, then it will erase the perception that deaf people are a burden to all. If people act like it is normal, and are willing to do reasonable accommodations, then it can go smoothly.

Of course, it is not always a perfect work environment. You will get your bad days, contend with sour workers and supervisors, etc... but it has nothing to do with your deafness.

 

[Dixie]

With the way technology is progressing and the fact that technology is slowly becoming more affordable I would not doubt it in the future if it were a requirement for employers who's employees must carry a cell phone for the job must issue a QWERTY phone for th deaf/hoh employees. I am sure certain wireless companies would offer unlimited texting to companies that rely on texting quite a bit for an annual fee. (probably a high one, but still).

As for hoh.deaf employees, they are refusing to hire because they dont want to put out the time or money to make accomodations, but those who do are usually the best companies to work for anyway. They simply say that the other hearing applicants are more qualified for the job than the deaf applicant.

Ive sat in for too many job interviews only to find that I dont get the job simply because I cannot hear. Its stupid, but it's also hard to prove discrimination.

 

[kristakree]

I will admit, I do get somewhat down when I find a job in the paper that I could do and then it says "phone duties"...People just won't call me on my TTY or hire me and get one, because its a waste of time, money and patience (to them).
I do remember doing a job placement last month at CHS and I had to control the front desk. When the phone rang, I got frazzled and picked it up, obviously couldn't understand the other person and I explained that I was a student on placement and I had a hearing loss and I would get someone to talk to them. Apparently that one person what VERY annoyed that they let a "student" handle the front desk..*sigh* some people.
However when the TTY went off, I did fine. Why can't people just invest in TTY's? Deaf/HOH people are just as every bit of hard workers as hearing people...It just ticks me off...

 

[shel90]

With the way technology is progressing and the fact that technology is slowly becoming more affordable I would not doubt it in the future if it were a requirement for employers who's employees must carry a cell phone for the job must issue a QWERTY phone for th deaf/hoh employees. I am sure certain wireless companies would offer unlimited texting to companies that rely on texting quite a bit for an annual fee. (probably a high one, but still).

As for hoh.deaf employees, they are refusing to hire because they dont want to put out the time or money to make accomodations, but those who do are usually the best companies to work for anyway. They simply say that the other hearing applicants are more qualified for the job than the deaf applicant.

Ive sat in for too many job interviews only to find that I dont get the job simply because I cannot hear. Its stupid, but it's also hard to prove discrimination.

yea, many of my friends who have degrees in the field they applied for that get that comment all the time and it is making me too suspicous. Why say "hearing" instead of saying "other applicants"...is that a way of the company telling my friends that they werent hired because of their deafness and the company's cover-up so they wont get sued for discrimination?

 

[Phillips]

I am student at College and study Paralegal and also I am own business Horse Board and Chessie breed

 

[Dixie]

Shel,
These very companies we're talking about are have very well-trained HR personnel on how to say things so they won't get their asses sued over discrimination. If they think that your deafness/hoh may be a liability for the company then all they have to say is, 1.) You're overqualified for the job. 2.) Your underqualified for the job. or 3.) The other applicants were better suited for the job, but we will keep your application on file for X-number of days in case there is a new opening. *application is then handed to the secretary who then places it in the shredder in the other room*

So you see they can tell you that they dont want you in their workplace due to your disability without actually having to say it. HR-managers are trained very well by company lawyers on how to do this very skillfully and its all about dodging a lawsuit before it can ever happen. That is why it is very very hard to file a hiring discrimination suit against said company.

All I can say is document, document, document and continue to document if you think you are being discriminated against for gainful employment.

This is why I started working for myself. I got tired of sitting in for job interviews and knowing I wouldnt get hired because of my hoh. I got burned out on trying to find work, so I made my own. And I love my job although there are days I wish I worked for someone else, but still at least I've got something.

 

[Dixie]

Phillips are you talking about Chesapeake Bay Retrievers?? If so I wonder if we both know a certain person who is active in Chessie Rescue and Relief.