Question: I can still do my job but the tinnitus and hearing loss is so bad I cannot understand what people are saying to me? Think I could collect LTD? I am tired of missing everything. It is exhausting and stressful.

Answer: You cannot collect long-term disability from your employer. These benefits are paid out by the Social Security Administration. If you've already been seen by an ENT doctor and an audiologist and have been told that you can't be helped, go to the website for the SSA - http://www.ssa.gov and on the home page, there's a link for benefits eligibility. Click on that and look for another link for the Benefits eligibility questionaire. Answer the questions and this will help you determnine your eligibility for Disability Insurance Benefits. If it appears that you're eligible, then you can go into an SSA office and sit & wait for 3 hours. But if you're not, this simple and private questionaire will have saved you the bother.

If you haven't been evaluated by an ENT and audiologist, do so first.

Since you haven't stated the cause of your hearing loss and tinnitus, I wonder that someone would "assume" this is the fault of your employer or your work environment. You better hope this person never ends up on a jury trying any case you're involved in as a defendent!

The hearing loss may qualify you for Social Security disability insurance benefits. Go to the local SSA office and apply for disability. You can't get money while you are working, but if you have to quit in the near future, you will have started the procedure rolling to get disability benefits. Then tell your employer that you want long term disability from their insurance co. You have a better chance of getting it. Of course, he'll probably lay you off... Can't really win. LTD and SSDI don't pay nearly as well as a 40 hour a week job.