Hello everyone- ah interpreters and the ADA- a biggie. I have the website here of the National Association of the Deaf which covers this in detail. I have included most of the section on workplace "rights". Note at the end that a business can get tax credit and reembursement for much if not all of this "stuff". I will include some of my own comments at the end. Obviously these regulations are for d/Deaf employees- similiar guidlines are in place for blind and other disabled people such as orthopedically and neuologically /mentally disabled etc.. I don't know if alcoholics and drug addicts are still considered "disabled". At one time they were; but I doubt the ADA asked the employer to provide alcohol or drugs and time to take them to the employee , although in our country one never knows--we have an interesting system here.
http://www.nad.org/site/pp.asp?c=foINKQMBF&b=101229 this site give more than workplace accomodations- but it's a start. By the way a work place needs to have 15 or more employees to have to do any of this, I believe. That leaves a lot of workplaces that aren't required to and don't provide anything.
Here is a synopsis:
The ADA requires employers to make sure that deaf employees or job applicants can communicate effectively when necessary. This includes special occasions and meetings, training, job evaluations, and communication concerning work, discipline or job benefits. It also includes regular work-related communication and employee-sponsored benefits and programs.
Examples of reasonable accommodation include:
provision of interpreters or transcribers for meetings and for conferences with supervisors or co-workers, for general safety or employment meetings, for health programs, for training (both on-site and off-site)
establishing policies and procedures for procuring necessary interpreter or transcription services
TTYs, video relay service equipment and software, instant messaging software, amplified telephones, and/or flashing ringers for work-related telephone duties, intra- and inter-office communication needs, and for personal use during lunch and break periods
installation of flashing lights on smoke alarms and on equipment
installation of assistive listening systems in auditoriums and meeting rooms to benefit workers who use hearing aids or other amplification devices
installation of barriers or muffling to control ambient noise levels
installation of televisions equipped with decoding capability, to display closed captions on televised or videotaped information shown to employees
permission to bring trained hearing assistance dogs into the workplace
modification of intercom entry systems to permit deaf people to enter secured building entrances
Employers may deduct the cost of accommodations, and may be eligible for special tax credits to assist in the provision of reasonable accommodations.
Failure to provide necessary accommodations may subject an employer to liability. Complaints of discrimination based on failure to provide reasonable accommodations should be filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
Now for my comments. Even though the above sounds clear it can be a little vague- many workplaces don't really provide anything until asked. Since, as I mentioned in a previous post, most Deaf come out of school with a 5th grade reading level, so the way the ask for (or demand help) can be an issue- especially among "militants". Many d/Deaf don't know or don't ask for anything- others are very specific about their needs and expectations. It's a blend and you probably get them all!
Often Deaf have menial jobs due to the communication lack, no matter how well educated or skilled. In additon, no matter what, the Deaf employee is usually works alone- that is, they are only Deaf person around. They come to work in alone, spend the work day alone, eat alone, take breaks alone and go home alone. I know some Deaf well educated, very English knowledgable and with good jobs , who have worked for many years in one place- and no one ever speaks to them! Since many Deaf can't or don't speak (this has been discussed in previous posts) and communication has to be "active" i.e. pen and paper or gesture etc. any interaction with Deaf is often time consuming and tedious, so the reality is it doesn't often happen, unless it's really important to the hearing person or company.
As far as health settings- it can be bad. A lot of doctors and hospitals use video interpreting services now (because it is cheaper)- that is using an interpreter in a differant location and utilizing cameras between the Deaf and interpreter. The relationship between interpreter and the quality of the interpretation can be so poor that good lipreaders would almost prefer to do that rather then what they get by these video interpreting services . In any case - communication with hearing is always an active rather then the passive process for the d/Deaf. No matter what the method, the nature of it is that the deaf person doesn't get much of the necessary information in the workplace- and next to nothing socially. I can speak for myself on that one. I am fortunate in that my speech is quite intelligible (I still work at it after all these years), but still until people know I can speak- I get ignored. I am used to it, however and have the benefit of initiating conversation, which takes the burden and discomfort off of the hearing person.
I could go on because there is a lot to be said but this post is getting long. Please feel free to ask specifics, I 'll be glad to help. I guess the bottom line is it is a constant stuggle for d/Deaf to integrate and feel they are getting the full benefit of information, no matter what the situation. We still get reamed out / fired for not following a procedure or policy which we knew nothing about. It's the nature of being d/Deaf. Other than that all is well with the world!
] I'd be interested to see some input on this as well.