Telling employer about hearing loss

whatdidyousay?

Long-time poster but made a new account because this is a bit embarrassing.... basically, I have a hearing problem which means I have to wear a hearing aid. It's a tiny and fairly discreet one so I've been hiding it under my hair. I didn't tell my employer about it when I got the job because I didn't want them to consider me 'in spite' of it, just on my merits alone.

Fast-forward a couple of years and I have a new job coming up. Again I didn't mention this at the interview or on any of the forms. I don't consider it a disability as it doesn't prevent me from doing day-to-day stuff and I don't want to be treated differently to other staff - I feel like there's always been a bit of a 'geeky' stigma against hearing aids, even though I know there's nothing geeky about them and really they're no different from wearing glasses, but I was a very uncool kid at school and have really struggled to ditch that image, even now when things have changed a lot.

On the other hand, I don't want to hide it any more because it's not a big deal. So do I mention this to my boss on the first day? Would they make a big deal out of the fact I didn't tell them? I honestly don't consider it a disability and don't expect any special allowances for it. Or do I just go in wearing it, say nothing, and if someone notices then they notice? On the other hand, I can imagine someone noticing and whispering to someone else, 'Look, what's that the new girl has in her ear?' and that sort of thing makes me really paranoid.

So really.... not quite sure what to do, I know I should stop hiding it because it would make my life a lot easier if people knew, but I'm finding it really difficult to just come out with it.

torbrex

You really need to tell your employer as soon as possible, although wearing the hearing aid does not affect you ability to do your job right now, it may in the future and your employer needs to be aware of that possibility.
What if your condition got worse or the aid broke down in some way? It might still not affect your job but there is a safety aspect if someone not aware that you have a hearing problem tries to warn you about something and you don't hear them properly.

When I developed type 2 diabetes, I informed my employer straight away even though it in no way affected my ability to do my job, I did it just because it might in the future.

queen_vi

i wear a earing aid in work no one as ever taken the mickey.I went in 2 week before christmas and told them the hospital said i needed 2.Its never worried me wearing them.Hate not wearing them as i have to guess what people say ( 'geeky' stigma against hearing aids) not nowadays you will be surprised how many people wear them

scheming_gypsy

whatdidyousay? wrote: »

On the other hand, I can imagine someone noticing and whispering to someone else, 'Look, what's that the new girl has in her ear?' and that sort of thing makes me really paranoid.

It's more likely they'll just see it and think to themselves "oh the new girl has got a hearing aid, I wonder where she got those shoes from"

dandelionclock30

Just tell them, nobody will be bothered honestly,I just think its a good idea to tell them in case you needed medical appointments connected with it. A responsible employer would not think anything about it being geeky and would be pleased you had made them aware.
Employers are used to being told of all sorts of medical issues.Where I worked last a man had to have a small operation on his you know what,and a woman could'nt do a number 2 for weeks and was off with this. They behaved professionally and didnt gossip with the staff.

pinkshoes

I think you're worrying too much about nothing! I very much doubt anyone would pay any notice whatsoever to someone wearing a hearing aid!

I'd just mention it casually to the boss on the first day.

chewynut

Why are you so embarassed about it? Being deaf is nothing to be ashamed of.

The only one who will even notice your hearing aid is you. Mine is bright purple with a TARDIS on the mold and nobody has noticed it in four years. If you're so self conscious about it, change your hairstyle so it covers your ears, or have a flesh coloured back and one of the tiny molds which fits right inside your ear like a cotton bud. Then the only way anybody will ever know you're deaf is if you tell them.

And you do have to tell them. Believe me, I've been there. I know it's harder than it sounds to just say 'I'm deaf' but it does make life easier. All you have to do is say 'by the way, I'm deaf but as you've probably noticed, it doesn't affect my abilities. X Y and Z are what you can do to make it a bit easier.'

For me, I have no hearing in my right ear, very little in my left and can't hear people if they're on that side, facing away from me or have their head in a fridge etc. If they do turn away, all I have to do is say 'deeaf!' and they're more embarrassed than me.

It is so much easier to spend five minutes explaining your deafness than if you don't tell them and you get things wrong because you didn't hear/understand instructions. When they say 'why didn't you tell us you were deaf?' you haven't got any kind of answer to that.

I recommend that you contact the Disability Employment Advisor at your nearest JobCentre to see if they have any branches of Remploy near you. Remploy help people in exactly these kind of situations.

http://www.remploy.co.uk/

t0rt0ise

I'm a bit confused.. if you don't regard it as a disability does that mean that you don't need any different consideration at all? If that is so then why tell them? If you do want something from them like to get them to always look at you when they speak to you, then you should tell them.

I only have one eye and I haven't told anyone at work because there is nothing that I want them to do differently for me. In the same way as with your hearing aid, I'm sure they have noticed something is wrong with my eye as it is very sunken but nobody has said anything.