HLAA Webinar: Empower Your Workspace: How to Ask for Accommodations

Requesting workplace accommodations and advocating for your needs as an employee with hearing loss can feel daunting. Learn the tools and strategies to navigate the process with confidence in this webinar, led by Teresa Goddard, lead consultant for assistive technology services at the Job Accommodation Network (JAN), together with HLAA employment task force members Jill Herbold and David DeBellis. Real-world examples and role-playing scenarios demonstrate effective communication techniques to help foster a more inclusive and supportive workplace environment for all workers with disabilities.

Gain expert insights on:

• Recognizing common workplace accommodations
• Understanding employee rights and employer responsibilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
• Applying best practices for making requests and addressing employer concerns.

This engaging session is ideal for employees, employers, HR professionals and allies seeking actionable steps toward workplace accessibility. It was presented on January 29, 2025 as part of the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) HearingU Hearing Loss at Work webinar series by the HLAA Task Force for Accessible, Inclusive Employment.

Panelists:

Teresa Goddard

Lead Consultant, Assistive Technology Services
Job Accommodation Network (JAN)

Teresa Goddard joined the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) in 2008 and now serves as a Lead Consultant on JAN’s Sensory Team, providing expert guidance on ADA compliance and accommodation solutions for individuals with sensory impairments. Her background includes work as an Educational Speech-Language Pathologist and an EFL instructor in Japan, where she led workshops on collaborative teaching and cross-cultural understanding. Teresa holds a Master’s and Bachelor’s degree in Speech Pathology from West Virginia University, with research interests in assistive technology, trauma-informed practices, and cross-cultural disability services.

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/

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.