Discrimination against the deaf is not a new phenomenon. In the past, the deaf have been considered symbols of God’s wrath. They were simply unable to live life as full as other people around them because of their disability. Sign language became a basis by which the deaf were able to communicate with the world. Soon it became instrumental in forming the deaf culture, which constitutes sign language and correlations between the Deaf. The Deaf might be considered disabled by the world, yet they are in their own way, a language minority. This makes them eligible for every job and employment in the world, without prejudice and discrimination.
With the progression of time, certain things were resolved, but there are many other problems that remain unsolved till date. The Deaf were not able to find their place very easily because they were harassed and considered unequal to the rest of the majority. Yet they did work to make a living, and their pattern of employment evolved over time. Earning a livelihood is a basic right, and if the Deaf are qualified, then they can surely opt for any job they wish to have. The Deaf are discriminated against when they apply for jobs only on the basis of their disability, which is unethical and unreasonable; hence strong measures need to be taken to counter this discrimination and give them their due rights.
People with disabilities have issues trying to live a regular life just like other people. This is because the society has a hard time accepting them and communicating with them.
Having a disability like deafness creates a few hurdles in accessing certain needs in life (Berke). Deaf children cannot be enrolled in regular schools, and their mode and methodology of education is vastly different from others, even though they might be getting the same education. However deaf people also need to work and earn a living, and when they step out in the real world, there are definitely many problems for them. Finding employment is one of them.
Historically, this issue began when the sign language became widespread, and the Deaf were able to educate themselves and serve their duties just like other people in a similar field of work (Callis). With growing technology, the deaf wanted to enter the corporate world and work at the same level rather than stick to their typical field of work like farming, printing or textiles. The problem aroused when they wanted to join offices and work in a corporate, official setting. (Guerin).
Many deaf individuals are graduates and even better qualified than some non-disabled people. However, one disability of theirs renders all their competence and skills, ineffectual. Many jobs, especially the official kind, are highly reluctant in hiring deaf people into their workplace. Even if the deaf apply for the job, they are told they will be contacted back, but they rarely ever are contacted (Callis). Their inability to hear scares the employer. Employers feel that the office environment may suffer from the person’s inability, negatively affecting the performance and image of the entire office. Even though they are able to work just as well as any person, these people are pushed back when it comes to providing employment (Hansen).
Another main problem is the common attitude about the disabled in the world, which makes many employers insecure about hiring a deaf employee in their office. They are considered deficient and unable to live up to the standards of the workplace. Employers fear their work might not reach the standards ordained by the company (Guerin). The Human Resource department seems to be looking for excuses for not hiring a deaf person. Presently, companies do clarify their job description as ‘open to all minorities and free of discrimination against disabled people,’ but the reality is quite different. (Berke).
A looming burden for many employers is the need to provide a sign language interpreter for a deaf employee. This means providing an extra salary to a person who is not actually working for the company. Rather an interpreter is there to infer a deaf person’s language. Interpreters charge about $75 to $125 per hour and might charge even higher, based on the company and occupation of the deaf person (Hansen). The employers simply do not want to incur additional costs on a deaf person, whom they reckon might not last long enough on the job.
The use of the telecommunication networks at work is now at rise due to its effectiveness and efficiency. However, employers feel that if a deaf person is employed, it can create a lot of problems for on-the-spot communication. The Deaf, of course, will not be able to communicate on a telephone, and if they are provided such a job that requires telephonic conversation, it will become quite problematic in the office (Guerin). Employers are looking for verbal communication with their employees, getting their feedback and hearing what they need to say. Moreover, as the Deaf cannot talk to an interviewer on the phone, they are forced to talk over email, which might get tedious for many fast-paced employers (Callis). Hence, qualified and competent deaf individuals remain disadvantaged in this respect. The Deaf, in this way, are unable to display their skills, which might be financial, analytical, creative and out-of-the-box. (Berke)
The current situation is not too bad, considering the world has changed dramatically from the past and the internet has taken over the regular office work occupation. However, there are deaf people who do wish to work in proper offices because it is their fundamental right to live and work as any other person in the community. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) solved many issues surrounding discrimination against deaf individuals, also encompassing their problems related to employment. (Hansen).The crux of the ADA is to provide ‘reasonable accommodation’ to deaf individuals who should not be shirked off rather they are equal members of the society (Hansen). Additionally, the ADA has clearly mentioned that there are several settings which require the deaf individual to have an interpreter with them. These include court and law settings, hospitals and an interpreter for business settings and meetings (Hansen). This point reveals that the deaf should not be discriminated against when they apply for a job because they are legally entitled to be provided an interpreter according to the law. It is currently illegal to discriminate against a disabled person. So, not hiring a deaf person only because of his disability is an unfair and lawfully-challengeable decision. Moreover, the ADA also provides the clause that no employer can discriminate in hiring, firing, work application and work process against a deaf person (Guerin). If the employer feels that it is difficult to communicate with the deaf individual, then the deaf person need to be provided an interpreter or some other means by which they can communicate (Hansen). Not hiring a deaf person only because they are ‘deaf’ is a crime according to the ADA. In fact, the whole world’s perception is changing. People coming into the workforce in the present day are relatively open to accepting people with diverse backgrounds. Diversity in the workplace is what seems to be driving their business to success. It is always a possibility that a deaf person might be more qualified and competent for the job than an average person. His skills might be of advantage to the workplace. Therefore, people are opening their minds to hiring deaf individuals for jobs. There are, of course, a few glitches in such decisions at times because certain people will always remain biased against the minority in their community. (Hansen)
Since every disabled person has been given their autonomous rights through the Act, they are also accommodated by better education, the availability of special classes for the deaf at school, college and university level and the access to every kind of comfort that would suit their need and help them live a regular life (Berke). Vocational facilities make it easier for the deaf to learn more about the various kinds of jobs, and this even inspires and changes the outlook of many people who only view the deaf in the society as symbols of pity (Callis). There are also stereotypes about the Deaf being alone or working on meager wages in order to scrape a living for themselves, but all this can change if they are given job opportunities similar to any other person, based on their qualifications and competency (Berke).
There are several ways in which this discrimination against the deaf can be overcome by employers and the general public. Firstly, living in the 21st century and with the pre-existing laws and protection provided to the deaf, people need to fight against the stereotypes and strive to empower the deaf so they can lead the same lives as other common people (Callis). This can be done by a realistic and pragmatic depiction of the deaf in films and movies, showing them as they normally exist and dissolving away all stereotypes revolving about them (Callis). Moreover, showing them as active members of the community involved in corporate offices, banks and firms will help to overcome the false beliefs that these individuals do not adjust in a common workplace. The movie industry can try to shake off the misinterpretations and stereotypes by using open captions and short videos before movies to provide a realistic impression of the deaf in the country and how they need to be treated versus how they are currently treated. (Guerin)
The other solution is to change the mindsets of employers and provide them with guidelines on how to deal with deaf people when interviewing them for a job. This is essential because employers feel that there is a great communication barrier when it comes to face-to-face interaction with deaf individuals (Berke). Hence, employers can be trained through special staff that normally deals with the Deaf. The special staff could also counsel employers on how to interact with them without the need of an interpreter (Berke). People need to understand that a deaf person is just like any other person, and they can be dealt with easily. The deaf can communicate via writing, and they can also lip read much more efficiently (Hansen). The deaf individual also needs to inform the employer as per the directions of the ADA, about the various accommodations they need during the course of the job. The employer also needs to look at his resources and decide what accommodations can be provided by him accordingly. (Callis)
Many businesses even after the provisions of the ADA are unwilling to hire deaf employees. Such companies and businesses need to be reported for breaking a law, and their actions need to be highlighted in the media. In this way, much of the biased attitude of workers against the Deaf can be eliminated. (Callis)
There also needs to be strict law enforcement that keeps a check on all the businesses that do not hire deaf individuals and the reason for not hiring them needs to be probed into (Hansen). The ADA already ensures that businesses will be provided the needed taxes and funds in order to afford and hire interpreters needed for the Deaf. Thus, there is no room left for discrimination against the Deaf if all adequate provisions are made. Morality and ethical grooming are a must for people because these will solve the problem of discrimination against the Deaf. If the leadership of a prominent firm, for instance, hires a deaf person, then it will create a very positive impact on the company, and it will also prevent the deaf individual from being discriminated at work, as going down the employee chain, people will learn to respect the decision and overall such steps are always appreciated and reflected in society. (Callis)
Conclusively, the Deaf is a minority amongst the disabled individuals in society. They have been considered as inept and undermined in society, considered unfit for having jobs that require technical and communicative staff. However, these problems were created back when the Deaf were uneducated. Today, they are just as learned and qualified as everyone else. But when it comes to jobs, they are not called in for interviews and are not hired by employers because of their disability. The ADA has made legislations that protect the rights of deaf individuals by giving them equal rights to jobs and providing their employers with funds for hiring interpreters. Moreover improving the image of the deaf through movies and media will be helpful in eliminating discrimination against them and all it takes is stricter legislation and enforcing moral and ethical means of eradicating these stereotypes.
Work Cited
Berke, Jamie. Workplace harassment of deaf and hard of hearing people. About Health. 2011.
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Callis, L. Lydia. Creating Deaf Accessibility in the Workplace. Huffington Post. 2014. Web. 14
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Callis, L. Lydia. Deaf Rights: What you need to know. Huffington Post. 2014. Web. 14
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Guerin, Lisa. Job discrimination based on deafness and hearing impairment. Disability Secrets.
2016. Web. 14 Mar 2016.
Hansen, M. Ellen. Supported Employment for people who are deaf: An overview of the unique
needs and challenges. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation. 1999. Web. 14 Mar 2016.
