Deaf and hard of hearing people still face discrimination in the job market

From: Online Recruitment, UK - May 2, 2006

According to the results of an RNID survey issued today to mark the start of Deaf Awareness Week, only 63% of deaf and hard of hearing people of working age are in employment, compared to 75% of the national work force. Thousands of deaf and hard of hearing people are still facing serious barriers to employment and RNID is urging employers to help combat discrimination and create more accessible workplaces.

RNID, the national charity representing the UK’s 9 million deaf and hard of hearing people, claims that issues ranging from attitudes of potential employers to a basic lack of deaf awareness represent serious barriers for deaf and hard of hearing people seeking work. Over half (53%) of those surveyed cited “attitude of employers” as one of the main barriers preventing them from finding employment. These barriers also severely restrict career prospects for those already in employment, creating artificial and unnecessary “glass ceilings”. Over half (51%) of those within work felt they had been held back from promotion or developing their careers as a result of their deafness and 34% felt their job didn’t make full use of their qualifications.

Cheryl Cullen, Director of ETSS at RNID, says: “Deaf and hard of hearing people represent a talented and skilled, but largely untapped, labour resource. Every deaf and hard of hearing person is capable of working with the right support. At a time of real skills shortages in key sectors of the economy, the country cannot afford to neglect the vast pool of talent represented by deaf and hard of hearing people.”

Over half (55%) of respondents in work reported feeling isolated at work due to their deafness and a quarter (24%) found it difficult to communicate with their work colleagues. The vast majority (75%) felt that the situation would be improved if their employer provided deaf awareness training to their staff, yet two fifths (43%) of their employers did not provide any training.

RNID’s Employment Training and Skills Service (ETSS) supports deaf and hard of hearing job seekers and employees with all aspects of employment, from the application process and interviews, as well as support throughout their employment. ETSS also works closely with employers to ensure deaf and hard of hearing people receive equal opportunities in the workplace, and that businesses are aware of their obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA).

Cheryl Cullen comments: “RNID can provide Deaf Awareness Training to any business no matter what its size, to make sure employers are aware of the barriers deaf and hard of hearing people can face in employment, and how to overcome them.”

Employers can make a profound difference by making simple changes and have a legal duty under the Disability Discrimination Act to make reasonable adjustments to the workplace and provide support. RNID is urging employers to make the simple but necessary adjustments in the way candidates are assessed and employees are treated to ensure an inclusive and effective working environment for all. Examples of how colleagues can communicate with deaf and hard of hearing people in the workplace, and practical advice on what employers can do to make reasonable adjustments for their hard of hearing employees include:

· Make sure the deaf or hard of hearing person is seated where they can see everyone, rather than facing a wall, as this could lead them to feel isolated from the office environment.

· When approaching a deaf or hard of hearing person from behind, try to attract their attention by either tapping on their shoulders or waving next to them.

· Include deaf and hard of hearing people in meetings by providing the right communication support for the individual, whether it be a sign language interpreter, speech to text operator, note taker or a lip speaker. Deaf and hard of hearing people can get funding from Access To Work for reasonable adjustments in the workplace, which can pay for communication support and equipment.

· Be aware of deaf and hard of hearing people in the workplace, for example if you have to suddenly evacuate the building in the event of a fire, make sure they are made aware of the alarm. Employers should also install effective fire alarms - this can be alarms with flashing lights or a vibrating pager. Employers should provide necessary equipment for deaf and hard of hearing employees as part of Health & Safety measures.

· Install a loop system in meeting rooms to help hearing aid users – these are cheap and effective.

· Make textphones available for deaf and hard of hearing staff, these allow them to communicate with hearing people by telephone.

www.rnid.org.uk

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