In recent weeks, my thoughts have been turning to either swapping freelancing for a full-time job, or combining self-employment with part-time work.
The statistics for those of us with a hearing loss do not make for especially rosy reading. Within the last year or two, research from recruitment website Total Jobs, carried out in conjunction with five deaf charities, found that more than half (56%) had experienced discrimination. Up to a quarter had even left a job because they found the working environment in which they found themselves too difficult.
Nearly three-quarters (72%) had received no support in finding work. Meanwhile, nearly one in five (19%) revealed they hadn’t told their employer about their hearing loss.
Separate research from Action on Hearing Loss, published at the start of this year and called Working for Change, found a similar number (18%) had an employer who implied or suggested they would be better off if they stopped work.
Finally, two-thirds reported that their hearing loss made them feel isolated at work, while an even greater number (almost 80%) reported feeling stressed in their jobs due to issues with their hearing.
Grim reading indeed. And my own experiences have often been rather fraught. The boss who would shriek at me down a mobile phone from a car roaring along a motorway, and who told me I ‘shouldn’t be working in communications’ with a hearing loss, and who likened my abilities to those of the proverbial chocolate teapot spring immediately to mind. (Mind you, after I’d stopped working for her, unsurprisingly unreluctantly, some scientists genuinely created a chocolate teapot, and so my usefulness was vindicated.)
Equally, I’ve never forgotten when, as a young trainee reporter, I came across the then Conservative MP Michael Mates, who spluttered ‘A deaf journalist?’, unable even to be bothered to try and conceal his contempt. I was too young and naïve at the time to protest, as my father said I should have done, but I wish I had.
Anyway, this time round, a decade on from when I was last in gainful employment, I may still be full of fear at the thought of going back into a ‘proper’ job, but I have at least come across some heartening reactions when I’ve told prospective employers that my hearing was less than perfect.
I contacted one organisation, a local HIV charity looking for a fundraising bid writer, and I was gently encouraged to apply. Yes, the CEO told me, it was a small place and so everyone was expected to muck in and answer the phones. But they could get me a textphone if needed.
In the event, I didn’t make it through to the interview stage, but I’m confident my hearing loss had nothing to do with it – my lack of detailed knowledge of HIV was much more of a factor.
I was marginally more successful when I went for a proof-reading gig in a village near where I live. This time, I had made it to the pre-interview shortlist and would need to speak to the potential employer by Skype.
When the relevant HR person contacted me at the time arranged, she tried phoning twice, perhaps not having quite grasped that a spoken conversation would be impossible for me. (Even though I had told her.)
To be fair, she eventually agreed to do the chat via instant messaging, and it went fine. They didn’t want to take it any further, citing my lack of specific experience in their specialist field (pharmaceuticals) as the reason for rejection.
Then there’s the decision of wondering at what stage of the application process to disclose a hearing loss. For me, it feels right to mention the issue as soon as possible, although I respect that others choose not to.
I perhaps need to work out how I really want to work, and whether I could face office life again for a host of different reasons, not least of which is the very real fear that in most offices you’re not allowed to stay in your pyjamas until lunchtime.
For now, I am grateful that freelancing keeps me alive, not least when you read statistics such as those from Action on Hearing Loss Cymru, which reports that those who are deaf or hard of hearing are a whopping four times more likely to be unemployed than someone who can hear.
And you only have to read stories, such as this one from last year about construction worker Jack Griffiths’ search for employment, to realise that the playing field remains far from a level one.
Read more of Juliet’s articles for us here.
Juliet England does freelance social media and PR work for cSeeker.
Tim
June 28, 2018
AOHL are the biggest hypocrites around on this issue.
While sermonising to others, just 16% of their staff are Deaf or hoh.
When asked if they were going to train up deaf people for senior posts, their response was ‘no.’
But they DO grab government money to “help” unemployed deaf people and, along with fellow hypocrites, RAD, sign clauses agreeing not to criticise the Tory government for mistreating deaf people.
Life’s too short for endless wild goose hunts, just do what you enjoy.
iandep
June 28, 2018
Do you have evidence of these “clauses” that AOHL and RAD had to sign?
Tim
June 28, 2018
Hi. Credit belongs to the excellent John Pring for unearthing the evidence:
https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/charities-delivering-dwps-work-programme-must-promise-not-to-attack-mcvey/
Note they didn’t have to sign this clause, but chose to do so. Money for silence on abuses of deaf people.
Sykvus Dobinson or Linda Crooke
June 28, 2018
I am an independent advocate network Circle for Deafness generic. We all voluntary and very small. We help profoundly Deaf Deaf/Blind Hard of Hearing and Blind people without representation. We helping with all benefits and dreading Universal Credit coming in our areas we cover the north west. The majority of our cliebts who get work or are working. Are either employed stacking shelves kitchens are isolated and we explain they should ask for access to work. But some or so pleased to have a job choose not to, the other jibs are Support workers but only for the Deaf or working in Deaf charities. We had one client with a lot of degrees and taken another degree in computer design and got a brilliant achievement. After finishing yet another degree. Tried getting Work and His application was always successful however they said the first interview was over the phone.they asked could it be Skype or face to face on e mail. The organisations never contacted this very highly qualified person. I said your choice but we can if you send us a list support you going to human rights they breaking equality act, I can only presume he finally successful because he didn’t come back. Our other clients who work are isolated at work breaks lunch, we explain this on their pip forms. Needed support to encage with people. Just one more thing our Deaf clients in Work are told by supervisor they do such a good job.
Nathan
June 28, 2018
All these studies are meaningless. Does someone with a mild hearing loss find it as difficult to get a job as someone with profound hearing loss?
Despite all the intentions of governments , promoting the disability discrimination act and subsequently the equalities act – assuring that deaf people will be treated equally to hearing people because “it’s the law” in terms of job hunting – deaf people still find it very hard to get jobs due to discrimination.
Prospective employers can discriminate easily when it comes to hiring – they just got to make sure they give “valid” reasons for not hiring eg “not experienced enough ” etc
There is no clear solution. Prospective hearing employers will 99% of the time discriminate and choose not to hire a deaf person . Governments do not recognise the extra hardship and difficulties deaf people jobseeking because in their view , the equality act means employers don’t discriminate.
Some countries have quotas but those don’t really work .
I think governments need to be a bit more sympathetic to deaf people in terms of benefits and jobseeking.