Minnesota Laws

HRManager · October 2003

We are a small company and have an employee who is having great difficulty hearing. He refuses to get a hearing aid and it is affecting his work. Is it legal for us to make him get a hearing aid?

Parabeagle · October 2003

If one of the essential functions of his position (hopefully as listed in his job description) is the ability to hear verbal communication and instructions, etc., you might be able to counsel him for not being able to perform one of the essential functions of the position and perhaps suggest that he have his hearing checked out. That's applying basic logic, but there are probably ADA considerations as well that involve a reasonable accommodation because of his hearing impairment.

HRManager · October 2003

>If one of the essential functions of his position (hopefully as listed
>in his job description) is the ability to hear verbal communication
>and instructions, etc., you might be able to counsel him for not being
>able to perform one of the essential functions of the position and
>perhaps suggest that he have his hearing checked out. That's applying
>basic logic, but there are probably ADA considerations as well that
>involve a reasonable accommodation because of his hearing impairment.

HRManager · October 2003

He has had his hearing checked and was told he needed a hearing aid. He is a project manager and deals with clients and vendors so has to be able to hear.

Down_the_Middle · October 2003

Hitchhiking on ParaB.... presumably you can define and substantiate the "affecting his work". If so, you can certainly require a fitness for duty exam and hope to get a medical opinion about the hearing issue. Once you know the extent of the hearing, you can address the accommodation issue, etc........

Minnesota Laws

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