When Access Is Made the Candidate’s Responsibility
Interview access should not depend on Deaf candidates educating employers first.
I’ve noticed how quickly a request for a BSL interpreter can be treated as something the Deaf candidate should sort out alone.
“Bring your own interpreter.”
Yes, I’ve been told this by companies.
And I’ve heard the same from others.
When some employers hear “BSL interpreter,” the panic can start quickly.
“How do we pay for that?”
“This is going to be expensive.”
“Why should we pay?”
“Can’t they just bring a family member or friend?”
No.
Accessibility is not a favour.
And it is not a personal expense for candidates.
When a company recently told me to bring my own interpreter, I pushed back.
I explained Access to Work communication support for job interviews.
I sent the guidance.
They apologised immediately.
And they arranged the interpreter.
That matters.
Because the problem was not only the first response.
It was the assumption underneath it.
That access was mine to sort out.
That the company did not need to know.
That I should carry the knowledge, the explanation, the pressure, and the responsibility before I had even been interviewed.
Access to Work interview support is not automatic.
Deaf candidates usually need to apply before the interview.
Some organisations may also arrange interpreters directly through existing contracts or local arrangements, which can make the process smoother.
But either way, employers still need to understand their role.
A lack of knowledge should not become another barrier.
Deaf candidates should not have to educate companies just to receive basic access.
Because interviews are already assessments.
They should not also become tests of how much access labour we can carry.
Organisations should never let a lack of knowledge stand in the way of equality.
