Deaf Employment and Discrimination ┃ ASL Stew

Time to talk about Deaf and employment. Talking about experiences, discrimination, and tips on how to be successful!
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[@gabbiefulton8604]

I was denied in applications the second I mention I am deaf at yanky candles. I was treated horribly at a job interview because of my hearing impairment and I was informed that I had no right to apply for a job because no one would ever hired a hearing impairment since there was no place for hearing impairment at pets smart. I face discrimination against my hearing impairment at my previous job where I was force to quit.

[@sonyaindigo]

Man just when I think I'm getting good at ASL I try to watch these videos without the audio and I'm so lost. /: Thanks for the all the educating videos!!

[@JStew-wv8kh]

That's alright. Keep practicing your receptive skills and you will get there. :)

[@allisonhart-young5825]

Your point about confidence is excellent, Jenna. Those of us hearing folks can lack confidence in situations with Deaf/HoH folks. We are nervous and may not know all the possible options for communication. If you take the lead, we can follow that. Of course, we also need to educate ourselves to develop confidence, too. We aren't off the hook here...learning some signs as well as learning some strategies/technologies for communicating is our responsibility.

[@TheStews]

Yeah, it's all about working together to provide accessible environment for everyone to communicate in workplaces.

[@glitterbea]

Great video Jenna! I don't understand why so many businesses discriminate against Deaf people. I'm SURE they could find a job that a Deaf person could do in a hearing environment just fine.

[@TheStews]

[Jenna] I know, it's ridiculous.

[@notlucadaniel]

Hi! This really is a great video! I am definitely going to show this to my deaf boyfriend so he might get more confidence in what he CAN do. Even though he mainly uses speech and his CI for communication, he will surely face some of the problems you have been talking about. We are from the Netherlands (so my English might have some flaws) and I just wanted to say what a great role model you two are :) Thank you!

[@JStew-wv8kh]

Thank you for your kind words. :) I would love to visit Netherlands someday!

[@candicemyers8458]

Thanks for the encouragement!! I'm in the process of job searching and I'm in the medical billing field. I'm HOH and it's been an emotional roller coaster!

[@JStew-wv8kh]

Best of luck! You can do it! :)

[@SimpleLifeAlways81]

It’s really hard.

[@Crz4wizard]

Hey! I requested this topic back in a recent video. Thank you. Ps. I love the sheep in the thumbnail. It gave me a chuckle.

[@TheStews]

Haha thanks! :)

[@s.d.8423]

Really great video on access and I enjoyed seeing your experience! I find it hard to manage in all hearing environments and sometimes it makes me feel less likely to even apply myself- I think this can be a small part of the Deaf unemployment issue, there is lots of anxiety about even putting yourself out there. I have met a few people though that we're all non signers who were incredibly supportive and interested in learning and offered a job, so there is definitely hope for finding a great diverse opportunity to anyone feeling the same anxiety. It definitely takes time but you can find open and willing people, and it takes one great experience to forget a handful of uncomfortable ones.

[@JStew-wv8kh]

You are right about having anxiety being common among D/HOH people looking for work. We have to worry about more things and that can cause us to have more anxiety.

[@mikolaflamme]

Oh I love your channel by the way!

[@TheStews]

Thanks :)

[@JustinMarshallElias2]

Thanks for sharing this!

[@JStew-wv8kh]

you're welcome!

[@jciser702]

I started working age 19,. Tried for many years get job what I ended up learning to do in my town is fake hearing by cover ears and made excuse had bad cold. When got hired they find out deaf they treated me different till I quit. Finally found company who accepted me so I accepted me. After that found a job that pays well and accepts me as a good worker and even ask me what can do to improve comunication. Been there 10 years and happy. A lot people hate where I work due to it being a big corporation but I am just treated as a hearing person. Yes it's sad I couldn't be outright during interview but people are uneducated how well we work if given the chance

[@JStew-wv8kh]

I'm glad you got a job you're happy with and they're willing to work on improving communication with you.

[@noaslfakers6618]

I live in a town where no one signs at places of employment nor schools. I adapted to the hearing world n I hate it. It's their world. If u go anywhere here n u deaf. OMG u r outcasted. Discrimination is in their blood. Thank u for being a voice for us deaf. Please more videos to educate public that we have rights. Sorry about my user name it's a substitute for my real one.

[@JStew-wv8kh]

That's okay, you don't have to make your name public if you don't feel comfortable with that. I'm sorry you're having difficulties in the area you live in. Remember, you're not alone and we will always keep fighting for our rights and equality.

[@robertslesleyanne]

Hey I'm from the uk and watched this with interest. I've been quite lucky when it came to looking for jobs, as I managed to get lots of practise with interviews and began to know what kind of thing they were looking for. I also found it lots easier working in the deaf community. I'm currently a deaf instructor and I love it. What I'm wondering is who finances the interpreters in America? In the uk we have 'access to work' which is a government scheme that pays for equipment and interpreters etc including at the interview stage. We are having problems with cuts etc but on the whole I've been so lucky to have this in my workplace, I could attend training days meetings etc. Like America the uk has a higher unemployment rate for deaf people. I love watching your videos and picking up the asl signs!! X

[@JStew-wv8kh]

Here in US, independent businesses pay for the interpreters. Government pay for interpreters only for the jobs federal/state related. There might be some programs where government provide assistance, but nothing like the program you have in UK. Thank you for watching from UK! I find BSL fascinating and always want to learn more. :)

[@robertslesleyanne]

+J. Stew we are incredibly fortunate to have access to work but due to cuts some people are becoming concerned that private employers won't employ them anymore. Do you have some kind of disability benefit too? We had DLA (disability living allowance) but it is now changing to PIP (personal independent payment) and many deaf people are losing it now because they don't fit the new criteria. It's based on a points system, you need like 8 points or above to be awarded PIP but help with communication is only worth like 2 points. I don't know the actual numbers I'm just talking from top of my head here but you get the idea. It's interesting to compare differences n similarities between the two countries! I'm about to begin teaching bsl level one to students in September. Bit nervous but it should be an interesting experience. I'm getting good at asl from watching your videos and switched at birth. Also it helps to use FaceTime holding the phone in one hand! :-)

[@JStew-wv8kh]

We do have a similar system through Social Security and it varies state by state with requirements.

[@Katzedecimal]

I work at a very large multi-site business (I'm hearing). Hardly anybody uses the phones anymore, we use Lync internal instant messenger and email, even external clients use email. Many Deaf people get hired with us because of that, the whole "can't use the phone" thing is just not there anymore. Technology removing barriers :)

[@JStew-wv8kh]

Yeah that's awesome. Hopefully more and more companies would move toward that direction as there is no real reason why Deaf employees can't use other methods to communicate.

[@buffycatnip]

i know this comment was from 3 years ago but what kind of business do you work in? is it a nationwide company?

[@louietoro5360]

Thx, Jenna.

[@TheStews]

You're welcome.

[@kelmiller2357]

Do you have video for employers being culturally sensitive to deaf employees? I am a housekeeping director and have hired deaf housekeepers. My boss wants to have something that communicates to guest that our housekeeper is deaf but I feel this is distasteful and should be up to the employee. Would love some thoughts on the subject from the community

[@melannycotto1997]

People are stupid, deaf have a right to find job and interpreter!🙌🏽 It’s not fair.. I always try to find job into indeed, I hope that I’ll get job!

[@imAsweetPotato]

This video was great! I totally get this, being 18, deaf with a CI and looking for a job (not so much now, since college is so soon) is certainly hard. I always get afraid of discrimination and judgement and it sucks :/ I also noticed in the video, Jenna signs mostly with her left hand as the dominant hand, but sometimes switches to her right for the dominant hand, but briefly. I'm just curious if Jenna is ambidextrous? Imo I find it cool, kind of like her own little "accent" in her signing :)

[@JStew-wv8kh]

Yes I'm mostly left-handed, but sometimes I get flare up from an old injury in my left wrist so I switch to right every now and then. I might be a little ambidextrous in being able to do some things with both of my hands, but I prefer my left hand in general.

[@mikolaflamme]

I know ASL, so I fully understand your Deaf wife; I was wondering why there aren't any captions for what she is saying, or why you aren't voicing what she is saying? I'm not sure of the circumstances, so I can't judge. I was just curious to why? It appears unequal. (I am aware closed captioning isn't a feature on KZbin, however I have noticed other KZbinrs placing them there themselves - or voicing what the signer is saying to give equal access.)

[@TheStews]

There are captions, just hit the CC button. I make captions for all our videos. Also, the video does have a voice-over. We make sure there is equal access for all of our videos. :)

[@deafmonkeytrillz]

I got resign but I got work for one year and two weeks My manager forced me resign I have no intereper 😢

[@Allison1111]

I've never had a job. It's getting kind of pathetic now being 21 and in my junior year in college and never having a job. I rarely get interviews, no one ever calls me back. I used to work with a job coach for a year who was unhelpful and basically gave up on me. Then a few months before going to college she decided not to work with me anymore since I was going to be leaving.

[@JStew-wv8kh]

Nah, it's not pathetic to not have a job by 21 years old. Many people are in similar position as you. My advice would be to try to find jobs for students on campus or volunteer/internship opportunities you can try. That's a great way to build your resume as many businesses like to see volunteering experiences in resumes. I had a bad experience with a job coach before too, so don't let that stop you from trying anyway.

[@kellyrocks15]

Alison I am in the same boat and i'm actually 25 and never had a paying job all my jobs have been volunteer so far and i just finished a degree i'm a community service worker. Also a barrier for me is that i don't drive.

[@jmheavymetal]

It’s the same thing for the blind.

[@marlynnek6449]

My son can't get a job. He's 26. Interviewers hear him talk and think he's stupid. It's very sad.

[@TheStews]

So sorry to hear that. Often people are very ignorant. I hope that he gets a chance to prove them wrong soon.

[@nicolekatey6203]

I just noticed that cat

[@JStew-wv8kh]

Peanut is sneaky!

[@joseosorio9221]

Ummm oh immm I’m ohhhok