Hearing disabilities are a common condition that can have a significant impact on an individual’s daily life and employment. Unfortunately, individuals in Tennessee with hearing disabilities often face discrimination in the workplace, which can limit their ability to secure and maintain employment.
The range of hearing disabilities
It is important to understand the types of hearing disabilities that individuals may experience. These disabilities can range from mild hearing loss to complete deafness and can impact an individual’s ability to communicate and perform certain tasks in the workplace. Some individuals with hearing disabilities may use hearing aids or other assistive devices to help them in the workplace while others may rely on other forms of communication, such as sign language.
Types of discrimination
Hearing disability discrimination can take many forms, including exclusion from training and development opportunities, difficulty in communicating with colleagues and supervisors and a lack of accommodations that would enable them to perform their job duties. These challenges can make it difficult for individuals with hearing disabilities to succeed in the workplace and can lead to unemployment or underemployment.
Protections provided by the law
Employment law protects individuals with hearing disabilities from discrimination in the workplace. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal law that prohibits employment discrimination based on disability.
Under the ADA, employers are required to provide reasonable accommodations to employees with disabilities, unless doing so would cause an undue hardship. These accommodations can include changes to the workplace or to the way that job duties are performed as well as the use of assistive technology.
If you believe that you have been the victim of workplace discrimination because of your hearing disability, there are steps that you can take to protect your rights. You can file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency responsible for enforcing the ADA.
Dealing with workplace discrimination
Hearing disabilities can have a significant impact on an individual’s ability to succeed in the workplace. However, individuals with hearing disabilities have the right to be free from discrimination in the workplace and to receive reasonable accommodations that enable them to perform their job duties. If you believe that you have been the victim of workplace discrimination due to your hearing disability, it is important to know your rights.