Reactions from Employer/Manager About Tinnitus/Hyperacusis?

I am planning to ask my employer soon about changing my job to full-time remote position, and may list tinnitus/sound sensitivity issues as one of my reasons. I have been working remotely since the pandemic and we are now being asked to go back to the office. Has anyone here done this, and what was your employer's reaction? I am not fully sure yet if I will list this reason since it is personal and different layers of management will see my request.

I told my manager once at onset about my tinnitus and I don't think he took it too seriously. I am slightly hopeful now since my request will go through several layers of management. I have several reasons for going remote, and tinnitus/sound distortion issues is one of them. My major issue is having to take the metro (train) which is loud on a regular basis, plus wearing headphones at my desk for Zoom meetings (to include people who are teleworking on that day). When I am exposed to loud noise I sometimes have sound sensitivity/distortion issues which last for some days after.

If anyone can think of a convincing argument, please post away.

 

You’ve been with the same employer for a while now, just tell them what you think. Express your concern and let them know you prefer to stay remote full-time because it has boosted your work productivity ten fold. You have good experience now also.

 

I switched to full remote during the pandemic at my company due to tinnitus. I filed all the appropriate documents but was told that they don't recognize tinnitus as a disability and could not accept it, based on the medical reason alone. HR told me that if my management approves it though, it will go through, which it did.

To make the case to my management, I just wrote up, with a few links, the effects of tinnitus. I used examples on how being able to control the volume on Teams and using CC made my life easier. It was a pretty easy case to make.

Side note: My company is uber flexible and I am in IT, so it's easy to work remote.

Good luck to you!

 

When your company said they don't recognize tinnitus as a disability, what grounds did they use? Do you know if tinnitus or hyperacusis is a disability under American Disability Act?

 

It's not covered under ADA for tinnitus. Correct.

 

I don't think anyone should be forced back into the office during an ongoing pandemic that's killing ~10-15k Americans a month; however, this is going to come down to what you can work out with your specific employer

I have been full time remote since 2016 and certainly hope to stay that way forever.

ADA "workplace accommodations" for this likely will not include full time remote status. That's going to be a hard fight. You will be much better off getting your employer to realize they are much better off retaining you as a remote employee, than losing you as someone they tried to get back to the office and couldn't.

One way to force that situation is to calmly apply for jobs until you find some other remote position and then give your current overlords the sophie's choice of keeping you as fully remote, or having you walk. Or, frankly, if they're being shitty about this... just walk! Hit da bricks!

 

Just an update - I got remote status. I gave a few reasons in my application, including remote status protects my hearing (since I have to take the loud train to get to work). So, I am not sure which reason(s) management used to approve remote status. I mentioned both tinnitus and hyperacusis, and explained my symptoms. I did not apply through ADA, but through the standard remote work application.