Questions and Answers about Deafness and Hearing Impairments in the Workplace and the Americans with Disabilities Act

10. How does an employee with a hearing disability request a reasonable accommodation?

There are no "magic words" that a person has to use when requesting a reasonable accommodation. A person simply has to tell the employer that she needs an adjustment or change at work because of her hearing impairment. A request for reasonable accommodation also can come from a family member, friend, health professional, or other representative on behalf of a person with a hearing disability. If an employer requires more information about the disability and why an accommodation is needed, it should engage in an "interactive process" -- a dialogue with the employee -- to obtain information that will help the employer in handling the request.

Example 16: Lionel has a hearing disability and is employed as an electrician. As a team leader, Lionel is responsible for receiving his team's list of daily work sites and any accompanying special instructions, traveling to the sites with his team, and directing the day's work at each site. Lionel receives the list of assignments and accompanying special instructions from the company owner during daily morning meetings attended by all of the team leaders. The special instructions are given orally. One morning, at the conclusion of a team leader meeting, Lionel passes a note to the owner reminding him of his hearing impairment and requesting that all special instructions for the team's assignments be written down because he is having difficulty hearing them. Lionel has requested a reasonable accommodation.