Employment with Hearing Aids

fishycracker

fishycracker

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I'm trying to get a hearing aid but I don't think my level of hearing loss is enough to be considered a disability. It's somewhere between 60 and 70 decibels in my left ear only. I'm worried when I get one and say I don't have a disability when applying for jobs, I'll get in trouble when my boss sees my hearing aid. Has this ever happened to anyone? What did you do? Did you get fired?
 
fishycracker said:
I'm trying to get a hearing aid but I don't think my level of hearing loss is enough to be considered a disability. It's somewhere between 60 and 70 decibels in my left ear only. I'm worried when I get one and say I don't have a disability when applying for jobs, I'll get in trouble when my boss sees my hearing aid. Has this ever happened to anyone? What did you do? Did you get fired?
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I don't understand your worries. You are not required to disclose disability.

If you can do the job, it shouldn't matter at all. Plus I note you have long hair.

So no one is going to see it.

Also, my husband is working with one deaf ear and one hearing aid. He is certainly not going to get fired for being deaf, he's good at his job.

I'm not working anymore, due to other health problems, but I did work deaf all my life, and it was not a problem.

Just don't apply for jobs where lack of hearing could be a problem.
 
I really doubt it would be an issue... I got hired in security where they are supposed to be very observant and no one figured it out until over a year later and that is because I took it out in front of someone... People do not notice these things for they do not look....

Sent from my SM-G530T1 using AllDeaf App mobile app
 
My husband has no hair <totally shaved head>> and has bilateral digitals.
In the way you're describing, I think you're making too much out of it.
 
1. That level of loss definitely would benefit from a hearing aid.

2. I wouldn't worry about employment. The jobs I had had no issues with my deafness & hearing aids and I usually don't talk much about it anyway unless asked. If they do give you grief or cease communication (while job hunting) then perhaps that's not where you want to be.
 
Do NOT let your hearing hold you back from what you want to do! I did that for the longest time until I decided enough was enough and I then did what I wanted to do and now couldn't be happier. Over the years when I applied for jobs, I made a note in the disability section that I was hard of hearing just so it wasn't a surprise. I've never been turned away from a job because of it. The last 3 years since I made a career change (IT) they have been VERY accommodating with my hearing loss by getting me a captioning phone and anything else that will help me perform. Seriously though, do what you want and do not let your hearing stop you!
 
you don't have a job yet and you are worried?

Just go in the interview with your hearing aid.

http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/disability.cfm

Questions and Answers about Deafness and Hearing Impairments in the Workplace and the Americans with Disabilities Act
http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/publications/qa_deafness.cfm



fishycracker said:
I'm trying to get a hearing aid but I don't think my level of hearing loss is enough to be considered a disability. It's somewhere between 60 and 70 decibels in my left ear only. I'm worried when I get one and say I don't have a disability when applying for jobs, I'll get in trouble when my boss sees my hearing aid. Has this ever happened to anyone? What did you do? Did you get fired?
Click to expand...
 
fishycracker said:
I'm trying to get a hearing aid but I don't think my level of hearing loss is enough to be considered a disability. It's somewhere between 60 and 70 decibels in my left ear only. I'm worried when I get one and say I don't have a disability when applying for jobs, I'll get in trouble when my boss sees my hearing aid. Has this ever happened to anyone? What did you do? Did you get fired?
Click to expand...

Hearing aids are like wearing eyeglasses. No one cares....

Laura
 
I am profoundly deaf and not wearing the aid for more than 10 years. I work with the customers everyday for more than 35 years. I deal difficult sometimes but I refused to have a cochlear implant. I rather to be deaf and proud.
 
I thought something like that too, but I quickly learned with longer hair most people don't even see them.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using AllDeaf App mobile app
 
I have super thin hair so length doesn't really make a difference. But some companies ask and I have heard about managers getting upset. I have a job but I'm currently looking for another job.

Sent from my SM-G900V using AllDeaf App mobile app
 
Companies are not allowed to ask...on the application or at the interview. However, many do ask on a separate "form" for providing the info to the gov't. This form is not given to the hiring manager. Plus, you do not have to answer "yes" if you do not wish to.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joe-entwisle/companies-ask-workers-wit_b_5233821.html

Believe us when we say people will not notice your hearing aid regardless if you have long, short, thin, thick hair. Only people who wearing hearing aids and maybe those with family or friends with hearing aids notice them on other people. I wear my hair pulled up behind my ears and I have blue glitter ear molds and people do not notice them.
 
I just wouldn't worry about, I have noticed most employer's like when hoh wear ha because they can hear better lol. Just think about the surroundings and what works best for your hearing loss. If you have a problem with large amounts of people don't become a waitress, if you can't hear on the phone don't become a receptionist

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using AllDeaf App mobile app
 
Was in the National Guard for 10 years while wearing HA (They made me wear them :)) Retired after 22 years, I am working at my current job as Level 1 support for 12,000 Windows servers globally, been at this company for 17 years, 15 years bilateral HAs. Sure its a bit more stressfull for me than hearies but I am using technology to help. Hope to retire in 6 years if they will let me. if you have the right career field, love challange then certainly HAs are of no consequences. I still have issues with conference calls from time to time and thanks to my job being mostly remote and my managers being from another country-board room meetings are no longer done very much.
 
Interesting, I've never listed my hearing loss as a disability. I would think that is only necessary if you need special accommodations?
 
sappstter said:
Interesting, I've never listed my hearing loss as a disability. I would think that is only necessary if you need special accommodations?
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YMMV

Some don't disclose until after being hired and at that time they'll ask for specific accommodations if they need it. Some disclose at interview time (notably if there is a face to face interview and an interpreter is needed). It's not REQUIRED to disclose or list disability. I usually don't.
 
For me, at my most recent job <first job since hearing loss> - though I don't sign well enough for a terp, I disclosed upon the end of the conversation where I got hired, because it was a retail environment and I'd be working with customers and answering phones. I do not disclose during interviews or filling out application, unless the job is specifically a "disability" related job<special ed assistant or something like that>, where my experience would stand out as an asset.

I also disclosed my learning disabilities at the same time. Though I did not request specific accommodations at that point <and the accommodations I ended up having were informal, the whole situation of how this came to be was pretty informal>, I simply wanted it to be out in the open.

For me, I saw no reason to hide anything or try or come off as something I was not.
 
dogmom said:
For me, at my most recent job <first job since hearing loss> - though I don't sign well enough for a terp, I disclosed upon the end of the conversation where I got hired, because it was a retail environment and I'd be working with customers and answering phones. I do not disclose during interviews or filling out application, unless the job is specifically a "disability" related job<special ed assistant or something like that>, where my experience would stand out as an asset.

I also disclosed my learning disabilities at the same time. Though I did not request specific accommodations at that point <and the accommodations I ended up having were informal, the whole situation of how this came to be was pretty informal>, I simply wanted it to be out in the open.

For me, I saw no reason to hide anything or try or come off as something I was not.
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Good idea! I don't think your LDs are severe, but it's always a good idea for them to be aware just in case something comes up.....Like most LDs can be handled pretty well with relavitively mild accomondations......which is good.
 
:ty: Deafdyke

you're correct in that my LD is mild. The math LD is the only one actually diagnosed but I have other issues, including auditory processing. And as is common with LD, I have scattered or un-even strengths and things "pop up" that seem "weird" <at its most benign> to someone who doesn't have LD.

So to me, it just makes sense to disclose at a certain point.
 
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