Does deaf and/or HOH workers feel that they have to be worth their weight in gold?

[dereksbicycles]

I'm seeing all those stories about Deaf/deaf and HOH people suing their work for not providing interpreter. I see that the excuse is that interpreter is too much money. Does it make you feel special? You know like a king or queen at your meeting. Wow, look!!!!! Your work spends $60 + per hours on interpreter(s) for you!!! I'm wondering if any of you worry that the company would be losing all those money hiring interpreters for you. You know, they would be investing that money back in their company instead of hiring an interpreter for you.

No, I'm not saying that you don't need an interpreter. There are many companies that may be making a very small amount of profit. Now, they hire you. They've to spend $$ on interpreters. Therefore, they may lose money. You know how it goes when a company loses money. They have to lay off workers. You may be one of the first laid off if company goes under water. They simply see you as an expensive ornament that needs to be unloaded. Pretty sad in business world.

I'm trying to see it from company's point of view and hopefully understand how they operate. I hope you look at that too.

 

[VacationGuy234]

Well, the weight in gold title is not accurate, but the premise of the argument is sound.

In some states the company can get a Deaf Accessibility Tax Credit:

Deaf Accessibility Tax Credit - Small Business Tax Credit for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Access

I'm sure in all states there are ways to lower the cost.

One companies expense is another companies gain. Yes, the company does have more of an expense, but the interpreter company does gain more revenue. On a governmental level, this is not a bad thing.

It's not likely a company will fold, but it is likely that prices will rise. The amount of money for an interpreter would be spread across products not put back for R&D. Research and Development (good R&D) is very expensive.

 

[green427]

My opinion, which differs greatly than most:

If you are an 'overhead' employee or your work does not impact the profits of the company, employers will consider your needs 'unnecessary expenses' and it can affect your future there.

Yes, it is illegal to say it, but it is not illegal for them to feel that way. Large corporations usually can afford interpreters, but small companies usually cannot.

Why should they keep you if you are costing them more money than someone who does not need an interpreter? If you make $10 per hour, and work 8 hours, they must pay you $80. Need an interpreter? They have to pay that person $100 for one session. They've lost $20 on you.

If I want to work for a small company, I will do everything in my power to make myself a very valuable worker, avoid making any demands, and find ways around needing an interpreter.

For big companies, I would not feel as bad if I had to ask, but I would not be a primadonna and expect red carpet service.

There are billions of hearing people on earth, and everyone is competing to get jobs, so it is up to us to make ourselves less of an inconvenience as much as possible, and work better than most in order to make employers want us.