Had to leave work because I'm partially deaf

[GMH74]

I had a job which I hated. I've posted about it before. However I had to resign because my hearing was starting to cause problems. I had a hearing test and it showed I had significant hearing loss. I knew I had problems at the high frequencies but it was bad throughout not just at the high frequencies. My manager was complaining that people had said I wasn't minuting meetings well and I said it was because I wasn't hearing well. My manager said I wasn't allowed to use headphones in a meeting to make sure the sound was going direct to my ears. I am getting a hearing aid privately because I haven't found my NHS one useful, the sound was very disorted. My manager says there is a slight time delay if I listen through the Zoom so that is why I'm not allowed. She also didn't explain to anyone complaining about my minutes that I was struggling to hear them. The sound quality on Zoom and from the in person sound system is poor and when people have their back to me it's really hard.
I understand that I'm not well suited for the job but I asked if they could make any reasonable adjustments due to the Disability Discrimination Act. I'm funding the expensive hearing aid myself. She said no and having asked for feedback on the hearing test, her whole tone changed and she said if I didn't leave they'd start a competency procedure.
I feel really useless. I got my doctor to sign me off for a month so I didn't have to work my notice. They had previously been wanting me to work until they found someone else and not to take my holiday allocation which was owing.
I'm worried I'll never get another job. My last two jobs won't give personal references. I'm worried that's because of the circumstances. Constructive dismissal pretty much this time and I was made redundant from the previous one during Covid lockdown!
I'm a Cambridge graduate but with a 2.2 in an arts subject which is sometimes seen as a "Micky Mouse subject" and I have a very specific masters in an area which also requires a lot of unpaid voluntary work (I've done some, but needed to earn a living) and I had a big career break when my children were small and then did low paid, low skilled, term time only stuff to fit around them as wrap around childcare was prohibitively expensive.
It's not a stealth boast but I've come into some money as a relative wanted to buy me out of house in an expensive part of the country. My confidence is rock bottom and I don't know what to say about reason for leaving. I think I'll get a rubbish reference too. I'm thinking of doing some Project Management training. I need a job where my hearing is not a problem. I'm worried no one will want to take me on.
What would you do in my circumstances? It seems a waste to run through the house money, but I'm not sure my self esteem is up to a lot of rejection. Please be nice. I've basically lost my job because I'm disabled. Oh, and it was public sector.
What would you do?

@GMH74

To be honest, I think you are probably best off out of it, I wouldn't want to work there either and have left jobs for much less.
That does not mean they should get away with it.
What was the outcome of your complaint ?
Challenging them won't be easy. Only you can decide if its worth it to you to do so.
But I really would take some legal advice before making a decision either way.

@Ted27
When I raised the Disability Discrimination Act and the fact that they are supposed to be a "Disability Confident Employer" coincided with when my manager stopped wanting to "hear how my hearing test had gone" to threatening me with a competency procedure if I didn't leave.
I just want to be out of it but I don't want them to try to ruin future jobs with a bad reference. Can people put that I took a month's sick leave after resigning rather than working my notice? I was signed off with stress even though the doctor wasn't very sympathetic. I had had virtually no time off sick before that

It's the Equality Act 2010 that's the relevant act. It superseded the DDA.

Most references these days are factual only with dates worked only. You could negotiate this as part of your resignation. You are in a good position to do this as you could take them to an employment tribunal. Its worth getting some advice. ACAS are free to contact.

www.acas.org.uk

Phone the ACAS help.ine. It’s free, you have nothing to lose.

You don't sound angry enough. Just because you didn't like the job doesn't mean they are allowed to treat you like that. You might have liked it more if they had made reasonable adjustments like they are legally meant to. If it was your kid would you be angry they'd been treated like this? Get angry for yourself and contact the organisations people have recommended above! Then think about that to do next. You can do both at the same time.

This is shocking to read. I have worked in HR in the public sector for years. I once had to support an employee with hearing loss and we got a lot of equipment through Access to Work, there are specialist pen mics/hearing loop/headsets designed for your exact situation.

I'm stunned that your previous employer would be so stupid as to treat you like this. I hope you go to ACAS and kick their arses.

If you get a settlement from them via ACAS, it's usual to get an agreed reference as part of the deal.

I hope you get some legal advice. This direct discrimination. Please fill in the paper work for employment tribunal. You have to do this within a certain timeframe.

Aside from the other issues, as a Cambridge alumna you are entitled to use the career service. Of course, they are more specialised in new graduates, but I had a CV review and general advice from them about 10 years into my career and it was a nice boost to my job search.

I'm so sorry that you're going through this.

Discrimination is so awful. Here you are left without a job and feeling unemployable when in reality you are very clever and capable and there are many jobs you can do.

First of all, please raise a grievance. Get legal help to ensure you do this correctly as following the steps is important.

I doubt you will want to return to that awful place but at least you can get a payout to help you in your way.

Secondly, get in touch with a hearing loss support organisation. There is likely an employment service to help people like you find and keep their jobs. And to help you access the tools you need to succeed.

Your manager has treated you very poorly and it is not your fault.

Please get some legal advice, don't just let this go.

That sounds terrible, I’m sorry you’ve been treated so poorly.

I have a significant hearing impairment and am a public sector employee (NHS) I have bilateral private hearing funded through Access to Work, my employer and I.

I have had to learn to be a bit ‘bolshie’ with regards to this, I would strongly recommend you contact ACAS.

@ProfYaffle

If you get a settlement from them via ACAS, it's usual to get an agreed reference as part of the deal.

Yes this. I did it for maternity discrimination (made redundant but they kept my mat cover on). Fighting discrimination is harder than doing nothing but I am so, so pleased I did it. I had a newborn baby at the time and I kept thinking how I had to push through it to do it for him. The money I got as a result of settlement went towards our family and that ultimately benefits him.

Please at least speak to ACAS or an employment solicitor to get their advice. It might put you in a much better position financially and also secure a reference for future employment.

I'm concerned that because I resigned I'm in a weak position to get anything done. I was so upset though and I didn't like the nastiness. It might sound dramatic but the adrenaline from the situation of having to talk to or email my manager was making me cold and shaky. I just wanted out. The fact that people had been complaining about my minutes to her and she hadn't explained just made me uncomfortable. I felt it was just a horrible place.
I think if I have any trouble getting another job where it appears that the reference was the problem (e.g. offer being withdrawn), then I will do something.
I think I may face questions about why I wasn't there longer (less than 18 months) and why I resigned without something to go to.

[quote GMH74]@MrsMoastyToasty
I had been using the subtitles on Zoom and my boss complained that it was obvious that I was doing that and that I was "too verbatim". I couldn't win!
Given how horrible the job was I think I'm best out of it but what on earth do I put on the "reason for leaving"? I can be honest but I thought you weren't meant to slag off previous employers (even if they deserve it). Also whereas some employers have a guaranteed interview scheme, won't people not want to employ someone with a significant hearing loss which was clearly impacting their previous job?
Any idea for an arts graduate - loads of public sector and heritage experience, research and report writing and analysis, plus some education experience - where deafness isn't an issue? I thought I might do the PRINCE 2 project management course so I had a formal qualification in that and also do a quick MS Project course. That seemed to also give something to put on my CV where there is an employment gap and at least the money from the house would mean I could cover it.
Please don't suggest Civil Service. My job wasn't a million miles from that.[/quote]
It’s not your hearing loss that impacted your job, it’s the employer’s failure to put in place the workplace adjustments you needed. As pp have said, it was direct disability discrimination and was illegal. Your manager was completely out of order. Wherever you go next, please stand up for yourself, ask for the help you need. Make sure you use the word “disability”, don’t just say you can’t hear well which doesn’t sound too serious - disability is a protected characteristic in law. If you have a disability you have legal rights. But I know from experience that you need to be assertive and insist you get the help you are legally entitled to.

Sounds like constructive dismissal to me. Take the advice offered in the thread and go for them.

BTW I am deaf also as a result of meningitis contracted as an adult. My job at the time gave me six months paid sick leave and I had insurance that allowed me a further three months on half pay. I was very ill but am lucky to be alive now.

My employer moved me from the position I was in (with my agreement) to a different role which was research based so I had little need to interract with others, and when I did I had a lovely assistant who helped me out. This was not in UK, but Europe.

As time passed hearing aids and apps for deaf improved immeasurably. I can now hear quite well with Phonak adjusted bluetooth aids. My life has been transformed.

Take them to the cleaners, you have a few solid grounds for this I am sure.

@GMH74

I'm concerned that because I resigned I'm in a weak position to get anything done. I was so upset though and I didn't like the nastiness. It might sound dramatic but the adrenaline from the situation of having to talk to or email my manager was making me cold and shaky. I just wanted out. The fact that people had been complaining about my minutes to her and she hadn't explained just made me uncomfortable. I felt it was just a horrible place. I think if I have any trouble getting another job where it appears that the reference was the problem (e.g. offer being withdrawn), then I will do something. I think I may face questions about why I wasn't there longer (less than 18 months) and why I resigned without something to go to.

Look you have nothing to lose by getting professional advice, and probably a lot to gain.

At the moment your confidence is on the floor so you are doubting yourself, this is exactly why it is so important to make a claim. This sort of situation is exactly what employment law is designed to prevent.

OP you seem to have suffered discrimination with your disability. Reasonable adjustments not made. Please, please go and see a solicitor specialising in employment law as early as possible next week. Let us know how you get on

Resigning strengthens your case for constructive dismissal. Your next job? You explain that you were discriminated against in your last post and chose to leave. Please speak to ACAS as soon as possible, you have 3 months minus a day to make a claim.

I don't think I've ever seen such a blatant case of employer disability discrimination described on these boards in all my time on Mumsnet.

Good luck with your claim, OP.

Blinking heck; not a company I’d want to work for. Anything can happen to anyone, losing your livelihood along with your hearing.. yeah thanks for that.

I agree you should get advice, OP. Does no harm to find out where you stand and then you can make a decision on next steps.

In one job working for the public sector they also talked the talk, but that was as far as it went. I have a hearing problem and the one request I made was that no-one talk to me when I’m on the phone (my manager has been doing this a lot). It makes it impossible for me to hear what anyone is saying and makes me look unprofessional to the person I’m speaking with on the phone. I was told that was fine… and nothing changed.

I wish you all the best in finding a great new job. You deserve better.

@GMH74

I think you need to reframe thisin your own mind.
You didnt have to leave your job because you are partially deaf.
You had to leave because of the of a line manager who is a bully and who has broken the law which is there to protect you.
I’m also shocked that HR have not stepped in here.

I was put in a similar position about 20 years ago, not through disability, but I was effectively forced out by a bullying colleague. I had a cast iron case and the managers knew it - fortunately for me I had other leverage and I went back to work in my previous organisation ( the directors were friends)
You asked what we would do, well I would challenge them, but as I said earlier, only you can decide if its worth it to you to challenge them. But I really would urge you to take legal advice before you decide one way or the other.

As for explaining why you left, just say that you decided to take a career break as you wanted to reevaluate where your career was going.

The company have to consider a request for reasonable adjustments to be made....,did you refer yourself to access to work? What did occupational health say? Did you look at your company’s disability policy? You sound far too passive OP