Applying for a job

If you're applying for a job, it can be confusing knowing what you need to include in your application. For example, should you include your deafness in your application form?

Should I tell them I’m deaf when I apply for a job?

You may be worried that if you tell an employer you’re deaf, they could discriminate against you, making it less likely you’ll get the job. It's important to remember that deafness is classed as a disability under all equality and discrimination laws in the UK. This means that, even if you don’t consider yourself to have a disability, identifying as disabled can provide you with some legal protection.

You don’t have to mention you’re deaf when you apply for a job, but there are benefits to declaring a disability on a job application. One of the main benefits is that some employers may treat your application more favourably if they want to increase diversity amongst their workforce.

If you don’t mention you’re deaf when you apply, you may want to tell them before your interview. This way you can request any communication support or other access arrangements you might need for the interview.

If your employer hasn’t hired a deaf person before, they may not be aware of the different technology that can help or the communication and financial support available. You might need to help them understand your rights and what they need to do. You can share our webpages on making the workplace deaf-friendly.

Here are some tips to help you talk to an employer about your deafness:

• Learn your rights according to the law and think about what reasonable adjustments might help you.
• Learn about the different tasks and activities you’ll be expected to do in the job – is there anything that might need to change because you’re deaf?
• Learn about other deaf people’s experiences at work and about the different adjustments and support they’ve had so they can succeed.
• Look at the different equipment available that can help at work. Read about how other deaf people use technology to support them at work.
• Tell employers about Access to Work which can help pay for equipment or services including communication support and deaf awareness training.

Are they allowed to ask me about being deaf?

Before an employer offers you a job, they aren't generally allowed to ask you questions about your health or disability. Employers may ask questions in certain situations, for example:

• to monitor if they’re attracting candidates with disabilities (this will usually be on an application form with other diversity questions, and you don’t have to answer)
• if the job needs someone with lived experience of a particular disability
• if the employer has a guaranteed interview scheme for disabled applicants.

Employers can ask you questions about whether you can do essential parts of the job, for example, how you would communicate with customers. However, they can’t turn you down because of your disability and must consider all the reasonable adjustments they could make to support you to do the job.

It’s a good idea to tell your employer you’re deaf, either when you get an interview or once you have secured a job, so that you have legal protection. If an employer claims they didn’t know you had a disability, then you may have less of a case for discrimination. Find out more about your legal rights at work.

I struggle with reading and writing – will this affect my application?

Many deaf young people struggle with reading and writing (literacy), particularly if English or Welsh is their second language. The level of literacy you will need depends on the job you’re applying for. Employers shouldn’t ask for a high level of literacy skills unless it’s necessary for the role.

If you’re applying for a job that doesn’t require a high level of literacy and are worried about writing an application, you may want to contact the employer before you apply and let them know that you’re deaf. Explain that your level of written English or Welsh may not be as high as other applicants, but as it’s not a requirement for the role, it would be a reasonable adjustment for them to overlook this under the Equality Act 2010 (or Disability Discrimination Act in Northern Ireland).

What support can I get for interviews?

If you need adjustments or communication support at an interview, tell them ahead of time so they can make arrangements.

Think about what the interview involves and what support you might need. You could request:

• the interview to take place in a quiet room to avoid background noise
• more time for any work-based tests or tasks
• a copy of their questions to refer to during the interview
• communication support, such as a sign language interpreter or communication support worker.

Access to Work will fund communication support for interviews, and you can apply for this funding online. You can find the communication support yourself, or you could let the employer know you have Access to Work funding and ask them to find and book communication support for you.

If the interview is taking place over phone call, you could ask to use a text-to-speech service like Relay UK or a sign language relay service like Sign Video. If the interview is taking place over video call, make sure you let them know if you need accessibility features enabled (like multi-pinning or live captioning).

What if an employer doesn't give me a job because I’m deaf?

If you didn’t get a job and think it’s because you’re deaf, ask for feedback about why you didn’t get the job. Most employers will provide feedback, although some will only do so if you were interviewed. If they don’t give feedback or you’re unhappy with it, you can complain to a more senior person or to their human resources (HR) department or people team.

Your complaint should include:

• a brief description of what happened
• why you think it was discriminatory
• what you want them to do about it.

You could also try asking them for information, such as how many people were shortlisted and if any of them were also deaf or had other disabilities.

Examples of what you want them to do about it could include:

• an apology
• making sure interview rooms are suitable
• changing their policies or processes for future applicants
• providing deaf awareness training for staff
• another opportunity to interview, if they’re still recruiting.

If they don’t respond or you’re unhappy with their response, you may want to take the matter further. The next stage would be making a claim to an employment tribunal. It can be difficult to prove discrimination at tribunal because employers can give lots of reasons for why you didn’t get the job. It’s important to get advice if you think this happened. If you decide to take action, you must do so within three months of the incident happening.

If you want to make a claim to an employment tribunal, you must tell ACAS (the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) first. Find out more on the ACAS website.