Help staff with hearing impairments succeed.

• Date: 01 September 2023
• Author: Davenport, Anniken

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 37.5 million American adults report some trouble hearing, including deafness, being hard of hearing or having sensitivity to noise. They may have been born with a hearing limitation, acquired it from a childhood infection, had their hearing damaged by loud noises or developed hearing loss as they aged.

Hearing loss may affect major life activities such as working. People with hearing loss and related limitations may qualify as disabled under the ADA, entitling them to reasonable accommodations.

The ADA requires employers to reasonably accommodate disabled applicants and employees so they can perform the essential functions of their jobs. What's reasonable depends on the size of the employer, its assets and...