Should I Tell My Employer About My Hearing Aids or Keep Hiding It?

[Na_M]

Hi Everyone,

I have been a tinnitus sufferer for many years now and always hated the thought of wearing hearing aids. Until I got fired from my last job. That's when I considered wearing hearing aids for the first time in my life. My life has since changed so much. My conversation with people improved, I landed an amazing job and everything just became so much easier and better for me.

But Here's my problem; I have not mentioned to my current employer that I wear hearing aids. Even though everything is going ok, I'm a little concerned when it comes to talking on the phone with my hearing aids on. It can be a little bit of a hassle. Another thing I'm a little concerned about is taking notes for meetings. My coworkers talk really fast and sometimes I feel like I miss out on what they say.

Can anybody advise me on what to do? Shall I tell my employer that I wear hearing aids or shall I just continue hiding it?

 

[Tinker Bell]

Are you in the U.S? If you are, there are employment and disability laws that would protect you. Either way, I would tell my employer just so they're aware in case I misunderstand something.

 

[Rubenslash]

Depends on your job. I work in a very competitive environment and have no interest in disclosing any potential weaknesses such as tinnitus and hearing loss to employer. But I'd say that if you feel it really affects your performance or if you work in a less competitive environment it would be good to tell the employer as he will most likely be very understandable to your situation.

 

[Paul10]

It's no different to wearing glasses. I never got what the big deal about wearing hearing aids is. I wear noise-generators, kind of the same deal, and I show them to everyone. Heck, you could just say your hearing aids are actually white noise generators, no one will know the difference.