Hearing Managers of Deaf Workers: A Phenomenological Investigation in the Restaurant Industry.

The study examined the experiences of hearing managers of Deaf restaurant employees regarding accommodation and social integration. Deaf workers who use American Sign Language have different social and accommodation needs than hearing coworkers, but most hearing managers are unfamiliar with these needs. Using stigma theory to frame issues of workplace accommodation and social integration, the researchers collected data through site observation and in-depth semistructured interviews with 6 hearing managers of high-volume restaurants and 6 Deaf employees. It was found that while demonstrably unknowledgeable about Deaf workers' accommodation needs and work abilities, managers held Deaf workers in high esteem and positive social regard. Deaf workers largely felt respected by hearing managers and regarded them positively, but consistently expressed a desire for better, more frequent accommodations for on-the-job communication. The findings have implications for hearing managers, Deaf workers, and intermediary employment advocates.

Deaf Workers in Restaurant, Retail, and Hospitality Sector Employment: Harnessing Research to Promote Advocacy.

A quarter-century after the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA, 1990 ), workplace accommodation is still a struggle for deaf employees and their managers. Many challenges are the result of communication barriers that can be overcome through much needed-although often absent-advocacy and training. This article highlights the literature on the employment of deaf individuals in the United States service industries of food service, retail, and hospitality conducted from 2000 to 2016. Exploring dimensions of both hiring and active workplace accommodation, suggestions are made for how social work advocates can harness information and strengthen their approaches for educating managers and supporting workers.

"Love Your Love Life": Disadvantaged African American Adolescents Cocreate Psychoeducational Romantic and Sexual Health Resources.

Sexually transmitted disease transmission, dating violence, trafficking, and unplanned pregnancy disproportionately afflict disadvantaged African American adolescents, and social services to effectively remedy this crisis need improvement. Moreover, disadvantaged African American adolescents have been significantly underrepresented in mental health, social services, and best practices research, so existing evidence-based practice models are insufficiently inclusive of these adolescents' perspectives. As a remedy, this study describes a formative evaluation of a youth-led, participatory action-based summer and after-school program, Love Your Love Life. Over eight successive semesters, 155 African American adolescents authored instructional materials including a guide to dating, a documentary, a workbook, a PowerPoint presentation, social media messages, and skits, and then led seminars for their peers. The highly engaged adolescents contributed valuable information about their strengths, challenges, and preferences, and suggested improvements to make sexual and romantic health curricula more relevant for their peers.