In work: your disability at work – British Sign Language Guide

Published: Monday 21 October 2024 | No Comments

Grouped under: For Professionals

This resource is kindly funded by Churchill Fellow

 

A short video for deaf workers explaining how to manage your disability at work, including: 

-Disclosing your disability at application or interview stage 

-Managing attitudes to disability at work 

Whether or not you personally consider yourself disabled, as a deaf person you are legally protected from workplace discrimination under the Equality Act 2010. 

Disclosing disability to an employer 

This information applies to England and Wales. 

You can mention deafness/disability to your employer at any point. You could ask what support is available. Or you can ask for a specific adjustment – for example, when your role has changed. 

You can also talk about your deafness before you start your job. It is always your choice to mention your disability. 

For example, you could mention it: 

• in your application form 

• in a job interview 

• when you are employed 

Mentioning disability will give you: 

• reasonable adjustments to enable you to work 

• Access to Work grants – including communication support at interview.  

For more information about Access to Work and communication support at interviews, see our Access to Work video. 

Advantages of mentioning disability 

Your application should be about how your skills and experience make you the right person for the role. You do not need to focus on your deafness in your application form unless you want to. 

You do not have to answer any questions about disability.  

Including your deafness/disability might increase your chances of getting an interview or job offer if:  

• the employer wants to interview more disabled people  

• it’s relevant to the skills needed for the job  

If your experience of deafness/disability is something that would be valuable in the role, you could add this to your application. For example, if your life as a deaf person has given you transferable skills, you can include these. 

Of course, it is also important to acknowledge that disabled people are twice as likely to be unemployed as non-disabled people. Stating you are disabled in your application could mean that 

• you may be at increased risk of discrimination 

• the employer could focus on your condition instead of your skills and experience 

Deciding whether to disclose your disability in your application form is a personal choice. 

Equal opportunities form should not affect your application 

Some employers may use a separate form to ask if you’re disabled. This is often called ‘equal opportunities’ or ‘monitoring’. 

Answering that you are disabled on this form should not affect your application. 

If you want the employer to know about your deafness, mention it in your application as well. 

The person who interviews you may not see the equal opportunities form. 

Asking for adjustments at interview 

Some application forms will ask you if you need any adjustments in your interview. If you do, fill this in. This gives the employer enough time to provide adjustments ready for your interview. 

If the application form does not ask if you need adjustments, wait until you are offered an interview. Then you can talk about what you need, such as communication support.  

Talking about disability at a job interview 

Whether you talk about your deafness is your choice. You can decide before the interview whether you will talk about it or not. It may help you feel prepared for the interview and focus on proving your suitability for the role. 

Disability should not be the subject of the interview. You could discuss the support you may need if offered the job. You could also show how your experiences as a deaf or HOH person will help you to do the role. If you’ve performed well in previous jobs or volunteering, mentioning these will be an advantage. 

As a deaf person, you are the expert on your condition. Only discuss what you feel comfortable with. Talk positively and offer solutions rather than presenting problems. 

For example, do not talk about things that you will find difficult. Instead, discuss how small changes can enable you to work more effectively. 

If you wish, ask open questions that do not need a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer, such as: 

• How do you make sure everyone is able to give their best performance at work? 

• What do you do to encourage employee health and wellbeing? 

If your interviewer asks about your deafness 

Your interview should not focus on your deafness/disability. Your interviewer might ask questions about your deafness or how it affects you. It’s up to you how you respond. 

You could challenge inappropriate questions. For example, you could ask if all candidates had to answer that question. 

Or you can politely decline to answer, for example: 

• “I don’t feel it’s appropriate to discuss that at this stage.” 

• “We can discuss that when you offer me the job.” 

Managing attitudes to disability at work 

This information applies to England and Wales. 

You do not have to talk about your deafness or any related conditions at work. It’s your choice who you tell and how much you tell them.  

Here are some tactics that disabled people use to make working life more comfortable. 

Talking about being deaf or hard of hearing 

People may be curious about your deafness and how you manage it. It’s up to you how much you want to say. Be as honest and open as you feel comfortable with. 

If people do not respond well, remember that it’s not your responsibility to change people’s attitudes to deafness or disability. Some colleagues may be more introverted or awkward, or they may just be too busy to talk. 

If you work with someone who is deaf or disabled, you could ask them how they talk about it to colleagues. 

Talking to your colleagues 

You could talk about: 

• your deafness 

• what tasks you find easier or harder to do 

• what you need to do your job 

• how you might cope and behave at certain times 

• what help you might need 

You could try writing a ‘one-page profile’ about how you like to work and how people can support you. 

Talking about your condition can help you to feel more in control. It may also help to put your colleagues at ease. But you do not have to answer questions you’re not comfortable with. 

Talking to your manager 

If you are concerned about how people act around you at work, speak to your manager. There are various ways you could help your colleagues understand how they need to work with you. You could: 

• write an email introducing yourself and mentioning what support you need e.g. to attend a meeting 

• offer to write a blog for the staff intranet or a newsletter 

Ask your manager if you need support to do your work. This could mean getting what the law calls reasonable adjustments. 

If you have specific concerns about how you are being treated, discuss this with your manager. 

If your manager is awkward with you 

Some people are more awkward with disabled people than others. If your manager’s attitude to you affects your work, talk to the next level of management or the HR department. 

If things are still awkward… 

Some people may react negatively to you, even when you try hard to make them feel comfortable. It is not your responsibility to change everybody’s attitudes towards deafness or disability. But if you feel that relationships at work are becoming hostile or you’re being bullied, it could be disability discrimination. 

Please see our short video on your rights at work for more about discrimination in the workplace. 

We hope this has been a useful resource to help you think about when to disclose your deafness, and how to manage attitudes to your deafness at work.