Without hearing healthcare, racial and ethnic pay disparities may worsen

Workers with unaddressed hearing loss have been shown to make less than their counterparts. When considering the existing pay gaps based on race and sex, the hearing loss pay gap can be particularly harmful to the earning potential of men and women of color.

Significant pay disparities have consistently been documented on the basis of race, ethnicity, and sex. Still, these figures often fail to acknowledge other marginalized groups, such as those with hearing loss.

Research has shown that workers with unaddressed hearing loss earn, on average, $20,000 less per year than those who use hearing aids or cochlear implants. Yet, poor access to hearing healthcare, often through insufficient insurance coverage, prevents individuals from addressing one’s hearing needs.
With lower earnings and 33% higher medical expenses, individuals with hearing loss face considerable challenges in increased earning potential. They also face the additional burden of higher risk for unemployment or underemployment.

Yet, one must also consider who has hearing loss. There can be a compounding negative effect on income for those who suffer from both the hearing pay gap and existing pay gaps based on race, ethnicity, and sex. Minorities with hearing loss are uniquely disadvantaged, significantly limiting their potential earnings, productivity, and employment.

Simply offering access to hearing healthcare affords employees the opportunity to manage one’s hearing needs. Employers must view this as a critical step toward creating a more equitable and inclusive workplace.

With Tuned, employers can trust doctors of audiology to manage their employees’ full hearing needs, from assessment to rehabilitation.