« All Events

Virtual Event
  • This event has passed.

Empower Your Workspace: How to Ask for Accommodations

February 19, 2025 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EST
Virtual Event
Free
Group of co-workers smiling in an office setting
Title: Empower Your Workspace: How to Ask for Accommodations

This event has concluded, but you can view the recording at your convenience.

Watch Webinar

Description:

Requesting workplace accommodations and advocating for your needs can feel daunting, but this webinar will provide the tools and strategies to navigate the process confidently. Led by Teresa Goddard, Lead Consultant for Assistive Technology Services at the Job Accommodation Network (JAN), along with HLAA Task Force members Jill Herbold and David DeBellis, this session will offer expert insights on understanding accommodation rights, best practices for making requests and addressing employer concerns. Real-world examples will demonstrate effective communication techniques to help foster a more inclusive and supportive workplace environment.

Learning Objectives:
By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

Recognize common workplace accommodations and their practical applications for employees with disabilities.

Understand the rights and responsibilities of employees and employers under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Develop and apply best practices for requesting accommodations effectively and professionally.

Learn strategies to address and navigate common employer concerns about accommodations.

Gain practical experience through role-play scenarios illustrating successful accommodation discussions.

Teresa Goddard
Panelists:
Teresa Goddard – JAN – Job Accommodation Network
Lead Consultant – Assistive Technology Services

Teresa Goddard joined the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) staff as a Program Assistant in March 2008, joined the JAN Motor Team as a Consultant in August 2008, and then transitioned to JAN’s Sensory Team. Teresa now provides expert level consultation and team leadership as a Lead Consultant on JAN’s Sensory Team. In this role, Teresa fields questions from employees and employers regarding their rights and responsibilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and assists in identifying accommodation solutions for individuals with sensory impairments.

Teresa’s professional experience includes work as an Educational Speech-Language Pathologist and as an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instructor in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, where in addition to classroom teaching, she led continuing education workshops on collaborative instructional techniques and cross-cultural understanding.

Teresa earned a Master of Science degree in Speech Pathology and a Bachelor of Science degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology from West Virginia University (WVU). Teresa’s research interests include assistive technology, trauma informed practices, and cross-cultural perspectives on disability services.

Jill Herbold
Jill Herbold

Jill Herbold, FSA, MAAA, is a healthcare consulting actuary who primarily works with state Medicaid agencies. She is also a managing partner of a consulting practice with 250 employees. Her hearing loss progressed from mild to profound over many years, and she is now a cochlear implant user. She has been a member of HLAA for over 25 years and is a member of the HLAA Accessible, Inclusive Employment Task Force: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jill-herbold/

Dave Debellis
David DeBellis

Dave DeBellis has been an engineer for the past 42 years, most recently with HP. He’s worked in nuclear and fusion power, solar energy, military and aerospace, automotive safety, and printing, both business and industrial. For the past ten years he’s dealt with profound hearing loss, and functions effectively with a combination of cochlear implant and hearing aid. Dave is also a fitness enthusiast and outdoors person.

Helpful tips

  • Captions. HLAA Webinars are open or closed captioned. Subtitles will be visible at the bottom of the meeting zoom screen.
  • Check your time zone. This meeting will take place live on February 19, 2025, from 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET, 11:00 a.m.-12 :00 p.m. CT, 10:00-11:00 a.m. MT, and 9:00-10:00 a.m. PT. If you are in a different time zone, please adjust the time so you do not miss the meeting.
  • Questions? Feel free to email us at webinars@hearingloss.org. If you are in a different time zone, please adjust the time so you do not miss the meeting.
NOTE: HLAA does not offer Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for participation in our webinars. The Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) believes that information about products and services that could benefit people with hearing loss should be made available to consumers to help them make informed decisions about their hearing health care. ​Reference to specific products, services, organizations or claims made in HLAA Webinars, online meetings or discussions do not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by HLAA, nor does exclusion suggest disapproval. While we make every effort to provide accurate and reliable information, HLAA does not control or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or efficacy of information contained by presenters about products or services.

Details

  • Date: February 19, 2025
  • Time:
    12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EST
  • Cost: Free
  • Event Category:

Organizer

HLAA Employment Committee
Email
webinars@hearingloss.org

Related Events