I was left with a sense of sadness after watching this video, because this is what's gone on behind the doors when I've applied for jobs, my application was taken in, and most of them never called or contacted me back after that first relay phone call which identified me as being deaf. People need to see this video because this is the reality of what happens to people who are deaf and hard of hearing---this is what they face on a daily basis when applying for jobs.
This is a video clip taken from the ABC show, "What Would You Do?," in which students from the NTID in Rochester, NY, did a live skit with the manager of the coffee shop. The skit was performed by deaf and hearing actors with the goal of showing what open discrimination looks like. Here's the short background on the production of this show below the jump:
A large “help wanted” sign was placed on the door of the store and another at the counter. When the store filled with actual customers, Maya and Hannah walked in and asked the manager – actor Vince August - for a job application.
“You know what, I’m not going to hire a deaf person, I’ll let you know right now,” he said. “I’m not going to waste your time.”
Actual customers overhearing this rolled their eyes and turned around, but no one said anything until the girls left. Then one woman told August she works in human resources, and he shouldn’t have been specific why he wouldn’t hire them. “You don’t have to hire her, but you need to be careful how you communicate that,” she said. “This is a very litigious society.” As the day progressed, the actors became more brazen with their discrimination:
“Go ahead and fill out the application. I’m going to write ‘DEAF’ across the top of it.”
“Isn’t there another place you’d feel more comfortable working? I think you’d be more comfortable someplace else.”
“I’m trying to run a business, and that type of impairment would be a nuisance.”
“It would make things uncomfortable for our customers.”
“Is there a deaf school around? Maybe you should find a job there.”
Few customers reacted other than turning their heads or muttering as they walked out the door. Only three customers throughout the day spoke out when the girls were in the store. One woman said the manager was being rude. A man told the girls, “You really don’t want to work here anyway” before storming out with his coffee. Customer Gerry Tourgee said: “I’m really shocked. And if that’s the case, I’m not buying my coffee here. It’s an affront. It’s an affront to America.”
Only three customers spoke out when the girls were in the store. Only three. After these girls left, especially starting around 4:00 in the video, you see the customers who were the hiring manager/recruiters come up to the coffee shop manager to give him "tips" on how to discriminate privately.
"Just take in the application. You don't have to call her."
"You can't say that in the open. Just take the application, and write on the back, 'Not a fit.'"
"They'll cut off your hands if you do that."
This is the kind of stuff that goes on behind closed doors when you send in your application, and you're new to the whole applying for jobs process after college. You think your being a part of the Congressional Deaf Staff Association is going to look good on your resume. It's not. It's a red flag to an employer who doesn't want a disabled employee, and he or she then shucks that application aside.
God help you if you include a TTY or a TTD number on your resume, or mention that you're deaf.
I remember asking around for tips from those who were in Deaf and Hard of Hearing In Government (DHHIG) about applying for jobs outside of the federal government. A few said not to mention my deafness anywhere on the resume, and to have a pre-recorded voice mail message for the recruiter/HR person to call and leave a message. They said that if the hiring manager expressed interest in the resume, and wanted to do a follow-up call, to insist on scheduling an interview through e-mail.
And once the interview was committed to, to then inform the prospective employer about my deafness a day or two before the interview. Also, once I showed up for the interview, I was advised to address the employer's concern about my deafness since he or she couldn't legally ask me, and to say that I really didn't need any accommodations. They told me to talk about my work history, and what I did for each of my previous employers, and how I functioned in that environment to ease their worries about accommodations and dealing with my deafness.
That's the kind of advice I was given. Even with that advice, I was discriminated against in a couple of job interviews, where the prospective employer asked questions he or she really wasn't supposed to ask, and assumptions were made about my competence and my disability.
Reactions from those in the deaf community were varied in DeafRead, DeafVillage, and one of my favorite deaf bloggers, Jamie Berke, had this to say after watching the show:
...No wonder deaf people often have difficulty getting hired. I just finished watching the segment on the ABC "What Would You Do?" show about deaf discrimination. The most upsetting part is not the actor manager's discrimination, it is the fact that three human resources professionals "advise" the manager on how to subtly discriminate against deaf job applicants. They are essentially saying it is okay to discriminate against deaf job applicants, just hide it. The problem with hidden or subtle discrimination is that it is hard to prove.
There are more reactions from those in the deaf community on AllDeaf.com, sharing their personal stories of job discrimination:
"This is how we need to get proof why we are having harder time finding jobs. Its not for the lack of trying! My cousin works in HR dept, and he noticed I was looking for jobs for 2 years and dno luck. He asked for my resume and he noticed right away my relay number. (this was before we had the single number equality rights). He told me to put hearing number in instead so I used my parents number. BINGO!!!! I got 3 calls THAT SAME WEEK for a callback. I called them back and used VCO. When they wanted to know how to get hold of me instead of my folks number since thee "first phone interview went well and wanted me to come in person, I explained my relay number. Guess what? they went OH - umm .. otay.. errr Ill get back to you thanks. NOT A SINGLE CALLBACK since. Now I am not sure of what makes me more pissed. the fact they learned I was deaf and need to deal with my type or the fact I JUST HAD my foot in the door only to have it slammed in my face.
This shows my experience is not unique. Employers don't seem to realize that quite often the deaf/HOH can be more loyal and harder working then hearing people."
Hidden discrimination is the worst because it's done behind closed doors, and the employers can pretend they didn't discriminate. After all, they took you in for an application or even had you for an interview to make it seem like they were doing the right steps.
Even though I'm currently employed, it sucks thinking about my deaf friends who are unemployed, and can't find a job for a year or two. They've gone through the gauntlet as I did, and they shouldn't be facing audism from prospective employers.