hearing impaired-telephone interview (employment, job opening, apply, employer)

[airen123]

Hey, C-D:
Perhaps you can help me. I am hearing impaired, and have difficulty gaining employment because of the telephone interview. I lipread, and have no trouble communicating in person. I'm actually employed now in healthcare, but I have a background in media buying, and would love to get back into it.
Just last week, I found a job description on LinkedIn that mirrored my past job responsibilities, and applied with a resume, letter of referral from my past super, and nice cover letter.
The VP immediately looked me up on my LinkedIn profile, and sent me an email and seemed very eager to speak with me via telephone interview (quote: I’m available before/during/after work and even weekend for a call). I responded that I am hearing impaired and I would be happy to come meet with him when it was convenient for him, and that it would be more effective for all parties involved to meet in person.
No response since. I’m at the end of my rope-this has happened countless times. I'm giving him until Friday to respond, (entire week) and my first ever filing will go to the EEOC...My husband wants me to sue. Problem is, I’ll definitely never get the job I want in this city f I do that. Relay services aren't an option, either-they don't work well.
Suggestions?

[bs13690]

Is there not some kind of device that will translate what is said on the receiver end into text so that you may respond by speech? Worst case, maybe you could rig something like have Dragon dictation software on your PC and patch your phone through speakers that the PC mike could pick up on.

Sorry to hear you are having troubles.

[kodaka]

You might try responding with language such as "I am not able to participate in a telephone interview due to a minor medical condition but it can be easily accommodated with a video-conference such as skype or an in-person interview". In other words, use the specific language that is in the law. Put them on notice that failing to accommodate you is illegal and you know it. I don't mean be adversarial. Just use language that's more assertive than simply asking them to please make an exception for you.

Aside from that, I wonder in what way you are approaching your job search, or what kind of job you are searching for, that is always or frequently starting with a telephone interview. Over the course of my career, I've only had two or three telephone interviews. Most just start with an in-person interview. Not every employer has phone interviews, many find them to be fruitless. I realize every industry is slightly different but surely you would have encountered at least a few of these during your job search? Otherwise is there language in your cover letter that suggests you are interested in a preliminary phone interview? Or are you targeting phone interviews outside your area?

As for suing...the trouble with this particular situation is, it's commonplace today for employers to advertise but then never interview or hire. Or to interview but never followup with applicants or respond to the applicants' followup. This is particularly true with new media formats such as social media. Is this employer discriminating against you because you requested special accommodation, or is he simply giving you equal treatment and demonstrating the same poor manners he/she is giving everyone? It's really tough to say. In any job search, it's tough to know why employers make the decisions they do, or go silent. Every single day on C-D, there's a thread or discussion about someone who feels they were wronged in a hiring process for one reason or another--their race, their age, their employment status....pretty much every weakness we perceive in ourselves, we are sure is being used against us. And sometimes, it is true that these things are used against us. Because we are on the outside and aren't privy to all the behind-the-scenes conversations and thoughts, we feel and are especially vulnerable, and this is true for persons with disabilities more so than any other group, I'm sure. But perhaps in this case, you should give the guy a little more wiggle room. Or perhaps more rope, depending on how you look at it.

Consider for example: is there a specific job opening that he contacted you about? Has it been advertised? Have they already interviewed other candidates? Did you apply for the job, or another one with this company? It could simply be that the guy saw your profile and found it interesting, and thought it couldn't hurt to make an introduction and have a quick chat. He may not have been considering this a formal interview process in the way you are, even if he used the word 'interview' and isn't willing to go to the formality of an in-person interview regardless of the applicant's needs.

Just my 2¢. Good luck to you, either way.

[MaryleeII]

Don't fool around with EEOC---they are a farce. The most that will do is blackball you for any type of employment in the future (what goes around comes around)

Employers are supposed to offer accomodations to disabilities in the hiring process, but good luck getting them to actually do so. they just ignore your phone calls, etc, you get the runaround.

My advice, forget them and move on.

Could you consult with an audiologist for adaptative equipment on your phone to hear better? Just making it louder isn't always the solution. Try to find a good ENT at a large, teaching/university hospital and ask to be directed from there. Believe me, your time is better spent pursuing such equipment than trying for a lawsuit, you will just spin your wheels with them!