New Person, SSDI question

Cheri said:
Can't speak? I'm sorry I would have to disagree with you there, I do speak, I do lip-reading, I do signs, so don't speak for me as in "we". :ty: Sorry for the :topic: TEW
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Can you fluency speak like hearing people? Do you need an interpreter? If it is yes.. so, that mean - hearing people did not catch your 100% accurately pronounce words when you talk.
 
You're better off talking with the Social Security Administration.

The amount of money you get depends on a lot of things... age, cost of living, location, needs, etc.

For instance... if you were living in a place where the cost of living was extremely low, then you wouldn't get much because getting more than needed would be considered unnecessary. If you had kids, you would get more. If you were older, you might get more.
 
Kalista said:
Can you fluency speak like hearing people? Do you need an interpreter? If it is yes.. so, that mean - hearing people did not catch your 100% accurately pronounce words when you talk.
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Each deaf individuals are different from each others. Don't forget that, Kalista.
 
Kalista said:
Can you fluency speak like hearing people? Do you need an interpreter? If it is yes.. so, that mean - hearing people did not catch your 100% accurately pronounce words when you talk.
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I didn't have an interpreter that does the talking for me, I can talk on my own without an interpreter, I only need an interpreter to sign what the person is saying.
 
Hi, TEW

What Jillio says is very accurate and informative. Also, you can try to apply for unemployment insurance/benefits for while.. UI can assist you to retrain for another job (either training or college) up to 18 months. Depends on what state offers since I don't know what state you are currently living.
 
Kalista said:
We did not try very hard to fight ourselves for successful our career at the private industries and federal government agencies. They look down at us to pity us because we can't hear. Hello.... We are human like other hearing people. We need to educational them about the Deaf language and culture to expose hearing people to become familiar with our language. I taught ASL to my hearing colleagues. That is how, I got promotion my job because I tried very hard to educational them. Now each of the State of Commonwealth established Disabilitiy Agencies to help with Deaf people for training, school, jobs, etc... Why do we encourage high school students to stay home to collect SSI/SSDI? They look up at their parents stay home to collect SSI, the children think oh the government would support those children rest of the life. NO !! We need to teach the Deaf children how important colleges and jobs for their future.



We did not fight enough with the congressmen. They allow to support more and more forgien people who are coming to this country. Our taxes constantly go up and up billion dollars to help with forigen people. There is lack of people who speak up for provider a better training for the Deaf people's climb up their career promotion. They just sit down and feel sorry for themselves....

NO NO !! Need stop feel sorry for ourselves because we can't hear !!! We need to fight ourselves with Private Industries and Federal Government Agencies, WE CAN DO.... Expect... CAN'T HEAR AND SPEAK...
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I agree but sometimes people find themselves in a situation where SSDI is needed like this man. He lost his job cuz of his deafness which is unfortunate. I am surprised that he didnt sue for discrimination but then again, we dont know what kind of job it is. Did it rely heavily on his ability to hear?

Some people use SSDI temporaly to get back on their feet. I did for 2 years and if it wasnt for it, I wouldnt be where I am now.

I do agree with u that I dont believe in deaf people taking advantage of it for a free ride.

Just my 2 cents.
 
Hi TEW...many ADers had great advice. I think you should be able to qualify especially that u lost your job cuz of your deafness. Good luck!

I was on SSDI for 2 years while I went to Gally U. cuz my ex hubby and I separated and I was left without any income since I relied on his so I applied for SSDI in order to continue my education. Whatever helps to get you back on your feet, go for it!

Good luck! :)
 
Hello and thanks for all the advice and well wishes. Let me just say, before this gets out of control, I did not lose my job because of my hearing impairment. The company I worked for is downsizing. They have been for a while, I wasn't shocked when my time was up. I wasn't the only one (hearing or not). Anyway, I just wanted to clear that up. Unfortunatly, my hearing is not now what it was when I walked into the place 20 years ago. So, with that in mind, I thought I weigh my options. Maybe find out from some that have "been there, done that" Thanks again. I'll keep you folks posted.
 
Oddball said:
Hi, TEW

What Jillio says is very accurate and informative. Also, you can try to apply for unemployment insurance/benefits for while.. UI can assist you to retrain for another job (either training or college) up to 18 months. Depends on what state offers since I don't know what state you are currently living.
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:ty: oddball!
 
TEW

What you are describing is exactly where I am. I could not find another job so I applied for SSDI and return to college. The state of Illinois is paying me to get my BS degree.

I just talked to another deaf friend who was recently laid off. He was too proud to get on SSDI even though he could not find a job. I told him, “the programs are available for people who are in situations like us so use it”. I could not get SSI because of my assets but I got SSDI even though I have considerable assets.

As far as I know, I have never meet any hearing impaired person who was turn down by Social Security Administrations. This process takes 6 months so don’t wait to apply.

This is where things get a little sticky. At your age, you may have earned enough credits to draw a reasonable amount from SSDI and if that is true then you may want to consider staying on SSDI and work part time. You will be allowed to earn up to something like 12,000 a year without losing your SSDI. This will not work for me because I am 34. If you prefer to go back to college then make sure you know that the job will earn more then SSDI and the part time income combine.
 
Kalista, I can't find statistic of deaf unemployment in anywhere but I had hard time to believe about what TEW said about deaf people got college degree and have difficult to find job (good job, not retail or fast food), I don't think so if it's big one.

TEW, sorry about off-topic, I just have hard time to believe about having difficult to find job for deaf people with college degree.
 
Wow! That is great. Good for you. I'm still considering some of my options. I may have a shot at a job that is currently open. I've talked to the manager and so far so good. We'll see how it goes. Thanks for posting. That was really good news
 
The reality is that many hearing people get promoted because they can use the phone is which very common nowadays. Unfortunately, the bosses have no patient with a deaf employee using a TTY at office which takes a long time. The bosses are very concerned about time and money. They don't give a crap about hiring deaf employees for this reason, and even they do not want to know about a video phone for a relay service.

Now, the question is how much difference between ADA and EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission)? You had a lawyer to talk about ADA which was not successful. What about the EEOC? I think that you were in a wrong department.

I believe that SSDI/SSD should be directed to Social Security Administration. This SSA is not related to ADA and EEOC. SSA has a telephone number for a request an interpreter before you see an SSA agent. I saw a sign on the wall a couple of years ago when I visited the department. I think I don't recall an interpreter info in the telephone book for this department.

I thanked Senator Tom Harkin to bring up ADA and convinced Bush to sign it into the law. His brother was deaf. Actually, Tom knows his sign languages. He realized and saw his brother's deaf world that he never thought of it before. That's all I know about him.
 
I've noticed different options do vary with different states, for other venues. have no experience with SSDI, however i know what you mean by assets- SSDI would be a better choice than other SSI

however hearing loss is very hard on anyone, was wondering if you learned sign as you mentioned you were HOH before. That could benefit you with sign language interpreters as its much easier than lip reading in my opinion however if you can hear well with hearing aids it would even help you succeed.

Another factor that could be hurting you in job seeking process is that youre an older person- its a hidden discrimination not alot would admit it, many want younger people in some areas for different reasons as cheaper wages and more knowledgeable about technology and so on....

However, kudos with you wanting to go back to school, shows the rest of us its never too old to go back! It really depends on what state and what assistances you can get for going back to school also as each state has their own rules.
 
I have never learned sign language. I would like to. It's on my "to do" list. You are also correct about age discrimination. I have always heard that if you are over 40 your chances of finding good employment is greatly reduced. As far as lip reading, I find it very easy. My wife thinks I should work for the FBI reading lips through binoculars, LOL.... Anyway, I'm on the fast track for a job opening that is currently available(I have an inside link) the only problem is these people use two-way radios; I'm trying to figure out a way around it. I've never seen a two-way radio I could understand. I told the manager this during the interveiw. His response was "hell, I can't understand them half the time". The thing is, he really dosen't have to understand them, you do. Any folks on this board work in a situation where two-way radios at work are a way of life? If so, how do you work around it? By the way, I live in NC, I really don't know what they offer by way of assitance.
 
TEW said:
I have never learned sign language. I would like to. It's on my "to do" list. You are also correct about age discrimination. I have always heard that if you are over 40 your chances of finding good employment is greatly reduced. As far as lip reading, I find it very easy. My wife thinks I should work for the FBI reading lips through binoculars, LOL.... Anyway, I'm on the fast track for a job opening that is currently available(I have an inside link) the only problem is these people use two-way radios; I'm trying to figure out a way around it. I've never seen a two-way radio I could understand. I told the manager this during the interveiw. His response was "hell, I can't understand them half the time". The thing is, he really dosen't have to understand them, you do. Any folks on this board work in a situation where two-way radios at work are a way of life? If so, how do you work around it? By the way, I live in NC, I really don't know what they offer by way of assitance.
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I assume that you are hard of hearing (hh). I know two hard of hearing people who use a telephone for their business (separate companies) for three years. They thought that they can do it because they able to understand most of time. They are good lip readers. But that was not the case, they found out themselves that they were wrong. People talk too fast, and they were supposed to talk slowly. I hope that I do not make you feel down, but you have to make sure that if you feel that it is the right job for you as a permanent job. Nothing is perfect, but a waste of time.

HH employees were frustrated and stuck with the hearies at work because they knew that it is hard for them to find another job. One person was simply fired because he/she blundered on the phone (important stuff especially expensive orders that cannot be replaced), and another person was laid off due not enough to meet the boss's goals. I thought that a hard of hearing is far better than a profound deaf. I guess that HH and deaf are just the same.
 
webexplorer said:
I assume that you are hard of hearing (hh).

Yes, I have a profound hearing loss. I was born with it. The biggest problem I have is this: When talking to people if you say "what?" one time, they begain to scream like idiots. They automatically assume that they must speak louder when really you just may have only missed a small part of what the speaker was saying. I can communicate easily with people who talk in a normal tone of voice, while looking at me, as opposed to someone rattling off like an auctioneer, with their fingers in thier mouth, looking everywhere but at you. I know you HH folks know what I'm talking about.
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Pacman said:
Kalista, I can't find statistic of deaf unemployment in anywhere but I had hard time to believe about what TEW said about deaf people got college degree and have difficult to find job (good job, not retail or fast food), I don't think so if it's big one.

TEW, sorry about off-topic, I just have hard time to believe about having difficult to find job for deaf people with college degree.
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Heck, its difficult for hearing people with college degrees to find jobs equivilent to their degrees.
 
Well guess what. Looks like I will be going back to work Monday. We're going to have to figure out the two-way radio bit. I don't really know what they have planned. They told me not to worry about it. (??) It's a 75 mile round trip commute, but I'm not complaining. Just thankful to be employed again.. Wish me luck!
 
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