How a Simple Clue Unlocked a Workplace Safety Crisis: All We Had to Do Was Listen

A lot of people with hearing issues won't seek help, or they refuse to wear hearing aids. "Nicole" had a very good reason not to wear hers, but figuring out why took some sleuthing. Here's what you can do if you know someone who needs help addressing their hearing problem. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more. Delivered daily. Enter your email in the box and click Sign Me Up.You are now subscribedYour newsletter sign-up was successfulWant to add more newsletters?Delivered dailyKiplinger TodayProfit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more delivered daily. 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"Vincent's" tone of voice sounded urgent: "Mr. Beaver, I run a construction company in the Pacific Northwest, and we are facing a situation that I hope you can help us with."I've read your column in Kiplinger for years and recall two stories where you pulled rabbits out of a hat, convincing people to do the right thing."In one, you persuaded a badly near-sighted carpenter to get a pair of eyeglasses (Can an Employer Fire an Employee for Not Wearing Glasses?), and in the other, a married father with a young daughter refused to wear a motorcycle helmet (Employee Refuses to Wear a Motorcycle Helmet: Can He Be Fired?). You spoke with him, and he actually sold the bike!Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe from just $107.88 $24.99, plus get up to 4 Special IssuesProfit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail."I hope you can work your persuasive magic with 'Nicole,' our wonderful-to-work-with 45-year-old crane operator. She has hearing aids but won't wear them! Adequate hearing is crucial for recognizing warnings, such as horns, sirens and shouted instructions, on noisy job sites."Nicole is becoming a risk to other employees who work with her. Her family tells me about serious communication issues at home, and she is the family's breadwinner, earning over $80,000 a year. Finding a high-paying job like hers, in our area, isn't easy."Maybe you can get through to her — and, by the way, everybody in the office, including Nicole, reads your column, because I print each week's story and leave it in our break room, so you would not be a stranger to her. You are my last hope."I agreed to try, but first I needed to understand the dynamics of someone in Nicole's shoes and find out how I could enlist her family as a tool for change.About Adviser IntelThe author of this article is a participant in Kiplinger's Adviser Intel program, a curated network of trusted financial professionals who share expert insights on wealth building and preservation. Contributors, including fiduciary financial planners, wealth managers, CEOs and attorneys, provide actionable advice about retirement planning, estate planning, tax strategies and more. Experts are invited to contribute and do not pay to be included, so you can trust their advice is honest and valuable.For the record, simply having a hearing impairment is not grounds for termination under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), but that protection is not absolute. An employer could fire a crane operator for refusing to wear hearing aids if it created a "direct threat" to safety that cannot be eliminated through reasonable accommodation.I spoke with Dr. Greta Stamper, a clinical and research audiologist and chair of the Audiology Division at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida."How do you begin the conversation with someone who might or might not recognize their hearing problem?" I asked her. "Also, how do you motivate them to get help, or even wear hearing aids if they already have them?""The problem needs to be identified before there can be any motivation to do something about it," she said, and suggested an approach using these or similar questions:"Once you have their attention," Stamper said, "if they've never had their hearing evaluated, then suggest, 'This might be a good time for a hearing evaluation.' If they already have hearing aids, ask, 'Can you help me understand why you don't want to wear them?'"Stamper added, "It is important to discover the why — the obstacle stopping them from addressing their hearing issues. Some people do not see a problem. For others, there is a perceived stigma of aging. Without some internal motivation to move forward, it is unlikely that anything will change."Vincent, the reader who reached out about Nicole's issue, cares deeply about his employees and their families. He arranged a Zoom session for Nicole's parents and me the day following my interview with Stamper.For over an hour, they poured out their hearts about the daughter who is their sole source of support. They clearly love her and are worried about what would happen if she lost her job, but they have no idea why she is refusing to wear hearing aids.I asked them to describe her demeanor when arguments break out, as they do in every family. "How does Nicole react when this happens? Does she participate? Think of her body language. Is she involved in the argument or discussion? Describe her facial expressions. Do family arguments seem to frighten her?""Yes, always. The louder we talk, the more upset it makes her," Nicole's mother replied.They gave me a clue. It was time to speak with Nicole.The afternoon of February 25, it was a chilly 40 degrees in much of the Pacific Northwest, where Vincent's company is located. It was 75 here in Bakersfield, California. Within minutes, some of our Southern California warmth made its way into Vincent's office, where Nicole was on our Zoom call.Looking for expert tips to grow and preserve your wealth? Sign up for Adviser Intel, our free, twice-weekly newsletter."Vincent wants you to convince me to wear hearing aids, right, Mr. Beaver?" she asked."Partially correct, Nicole. Partially. And with your help, we are going to make a whole bunch of people as happy as can be, beginning with you, because I think I know why you don't want to wear hearing aids. Noise — loud, aimless, jarring sounds drive you up a wall, right?""How did you know, Mr. Beaver? It's true! I hate those hearing aids when my family gets into yelling contests, and when I wear them on job sites, it feel like my head is in a metal trash can and someone is banging on it with a hammer.""Nicole, our office has several clients who have recently purchased hearing aids with noise-reducing AI technology, and they just love them. I know for sure that Vincent will buy them for you, so please ask him to join us."She found Vincent and brought him back into his office, and I briefed him on what he could do for Nicole, her family and his company. He agreed.I'll keep you in the loop on what happens next.Dennis Beaver practices law in Bakersfield, Calif., and welcomes comments and questions from readers, which may be faxed to (661) 323-7993, or e-mailed to Lagombeaver1@gmail.com. And be sure to visit dennisbeaver.com.This article was written by and presents the views of our contributing adviser, not the Kiplinger editorial staff. You can check adviser records with the SEC or with FINRA.Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more. Delivered daily. Enter your email in the box and click Sign Me Up.After attending Loyola University School of Law, H. Dennis Beaver joined California's Kern County District Attorney's Office, where he established a Consumer Fraud section. He is in the general practice of law and writes a syndicated newspaper column, You and the Law. Through his column, he offers readers in need of down-to-earth advice his help free of charge. "I know it sounds corny, but I just love to be able to use my education and experience to help, simply to help. When a reader contacts me, it is a gift." Or: Why you don't need to keep tax returns from your 20s and 30s. Stocks hit their session lows early Monday in reaction to U.S. airstrikes on Iran, but quickly bounced. Some smart TVs and streaming devices are already losing access. Here’s how to check and what to do next. Stocks hit their session lows early Monday in reaction to U.S. airstrikes on Iran, but quickly bounced. Some smart TVs and streaming devices are already losing access. Here’s how to check and what to do next. 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