Know Your Rights with Hearing Loss
The world poses some unique problems for individuals with hearing loss. Fortunately, we live in a country with a variety of technologies that can assist those with hearing loss.
However, we are also fortunate to live in a nation that also has legal safeguards. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) codified the basic rights of those with disabilities, including hearing loss. First enacted into law in 1990, the piece of legislation was built upon the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on grounds of race, religion, sex, and national origin.
The ADA helps people who have hearing loss by requiring that businesses and government organizations grant reasonable requests to disabled employers or staff in order to help them live or work more easily. Knowing your ADA rights can help you know when you are in position to demand reasonable accommodations and what measures you can take if your rights are refused.
What are your rights at work?
Job Interviews
Were you aware that ADA even has guidelines for employers when it comes to interviewing prospective employees? Those with hearing loss have the right to equal work prospects and fair treatment at work.
If you are hunting for a new job, you are not required to disclose your hearing loss. The Commission on Equal Employment Opportunity (EEOC) prevents employers from enquiring about medical problems with prospective staff.
However, when working at loud or overcrowded jobs they are permitted to ask you about your capacity or skill in handling safety issues. It is your duty to respond correctly and to carry out the job role only when you are able to perform the most important responsibilities of the role.
Accommodations at work
Employers are also obliged to provide accommodations when you are actually on the job. An employer can address accessibility issues in a variety of ways.
For those who can’t always hear audible alarms, employers can provide light fixtures, so they will also flash when an alarm comes off. That could be considered a reasonable accommodation. Those who work in customer service and talk on the phone a lot could benefit from headsets with increased volume controls. As long as this is not too expensive, it is also considered a reasonable accommodation.
There are, however, limits on what is seen as an acceptable accommodation. The ADA stipulates that accommodations must be ‘reasonable’, and they are the final authority on what is considered so.
What are your rights as a consumer?
Hearing loss is often referred to as invisible disability. You can’t “see” hearing loss which means that many people don’t understand that those struggling to hear need additional assistance or accommodation. If you have hearing loss, the responsibility is on you to be your own advocate when you’re outside of work.
The law states that you have the right to equal accessibility in public places. Products and services, as well as public locations, workplaces, government buildings, companies and schools, must be convenient and available for those who have trouble hearing. Airports and train stations for instance, should include accessibility features such as readable displays, or the use of other techniques such as text message alerts, or telecoil technology, so that travel updates can be detected by your hearing aid and played straight into your ear, without you having to struggle to comprehend distorted PA announcements.
For those who have experienced discrimination
Even with the regulations of the ADA in place, discrimination against individuals with disabilities continues. Fortunately, there are things you can do to contest discrimination. If you think that you have been treated badly, you can file an ADA complaint with the Department of Justice.
Fit Hearing Audiology Network
Knowing your rights is a significant step in improving your daily experience with hearing loss, but if you’re not doing anything else to address the condition itself, we’d recommend seeking help from a hearing professional. They will be able to assess your hearing and make recommendations for hearing aid styles and features that would benefit your unique situation. For instance, some devices, like the Phonak Audeo Marvel, use auto-detection of your surroundings to automatically adjust your hearing aid settings to provide a better listening experience. Hearing aids will transform your life for the better and give you back your capacity to communicate, work, and interact readily with the people around you. The first step is to visit a hearing health professional for a hearing evaluation.
