Acceptance in the Workplace

[NIrelandGillian]

Hello, just wondering, are people with autism accepted in the workplace where you are? My son is not accepted or respected where he works and I wondered if other people have the same experience or better.

Gillian

 

[Par5]

Hello, just wondering, are people with autism accepted in the workplace where you are? My son is not accepted or respected where he works and I wondered if other people have the same experience or better.

Gillian

Gillian, if as your name suggests you are from Northern Ireland, your son can get help in order to be treated properly in the workplace. The link below will give you the information you need and who to contact. I hope this helps you and your son.
Protection against disability discrimination | nidirect

 

[DragonFox91]

Can he find a job where he is accepted & respected? There's a lot of bad people in this world, but good ones too!

 

[JesseBassett]

Hello,
As someone who has Autism, I find that it is easier to realize that a manager or boss does not by law need to "respect me". He/she does not even need to like me personally. When I am at work, that is why I am there. Now as for your son, if you communicate this information to him that may aleviate any anxieties surrounding employment/work.

 

[Darkhorse]

My experience with my autistic son is that, if your son is an exceptionally good worker with enough experience, he can look for another job where he is accepted. During the job interviews, he should be candid about his autism and his difficulties with those who didn't accept his condition. He may need to try several times, but...it can work out well.

 

[timf]

In a job where gregariousness is expected, one with Aspergers might not be a good fit. In a job where exceptional focus and solitude are required, it might be a better fit.

In a job where there is a great deal of social conviviality, someone with Aspergers might be seen as uncomfortably odd.

The key is finding the place that is a good fit. One might want to be cautious sharing too much about a diagnosis or condition in that it can cause problems more than solve or minimize them.

 

[NIrelandGillian]

Gillian, if as your name suggests you are from Northern Ireland, your son can get help in order to be treated properly in the workplace. The link below will give you the information you need and who to contact. I hope this helps you and your son.
Protection against disability discrimination | nidirect

Gillian, if as your name suggests you are from Northern Ireland, your son can get help in order to be treated properly in the workplace. The link below will give you the information you need and who to contact. I hope this helps you and your son.
Protection against disability discrimination | nidirect

Thank you for your helpful reply and link, Par5. Unfortunately the ones needing to be informed of my son's rights are his employers and they would disagree that they are doing anything wrong. In addition, they do not allow my son to talk outside of work about anything that goes on there. If they hear that he has been doing so, he gets into trouble. He has just recently been assigned to a new social worker, with whom he and I will be meeting on Monday at a neutral venue to get to know each other and discuss where we go from here.

Are you in Northern Ireland yourself?

Gillian

 

[NIrelandGillian]

Can he find a job where he is accepted & respected? There's a lot of bad people in this world, but good ones too!

I'm sure there must be a job somewhere where he would be accepted and respected, but he will need help in finding it. He and I had a very helpful conversation with his new social worker, who was going to contact M's boss. M and she have met again, along with one of the coaches from his Special Olympics Basketball club, who is very concerned about the way M has been treated and wants to help. This guy works with people with learning difficulties. M didn't tell me anything about the conversation except that it went well and they hope to meet again after he comes back from vacation next Saturday.

Gillian

 

[Eftsoon]

Thank you for your helpful reply and link, Par5. Unfortunately the ones needing to be informed of my son's rights are his employers and they would disagree that they are doing anything wrong. In addition, they do not allow my son to talk outside of work about anything that goes on there. If they hear that he has been doing so, he gets into trouble. He has just recently been assigned to a new social worker, with whom he and I will be meeting on Monday at a neutral venue to get to know each other and discuss where we go from here.

Are you in Northern Ireland yourself?

Gillian

Autistic people can thrive in a huge range of contexts. With the right support they can really excel. The employers sound pretty awful, but they should not be taken as the rule. Many employers have excellent hiring practises and good pastoral care . Look for employers who are enrolled on the two ticks scheme.

If he decides to look for other employment, his autism should be mentioned in the interview. He can discuss the advantages it offers and the support he will need. Autists are incredibly employable with the right support - that has to be emphasised. It isn't a disability it's a neurological difference as I'm sure you're aware.

Perhaps his employers need a combined wake up call/education. If they don't respond - their loss.

 

[NIrelandGillian]

Hello,
As someone who has Autism, I find that it is easier to realize that a manager or boss does not by law need to "respect me". He/she does not even need to like me personally. When I am at work, that is why I am there. Now as for your son, if you communicate this information to him that may aleviate any anxieties surrounding employment/work.

Hi Jesse,

I would have thought there ought to be respect shown everywhere in the workplace.

Gillian

 

[JesseBassett]

Hi Jesse,

I would have thought there ought to be respect shown everywhere in the workplace.

Gillian

Technically there should be, but it always is not the case.

 

[NIrelandGillian]

In a job where gregariousness is expected, one with Aspergers might not be a good fit. In a job where exceptional focus and solitude are required, it might be a better fit.

In a job where there is a great deal of social conviviality, someone with Aspergers might be seen as uncomfortably odd.

The key is finding the place that is a good fit. One might want to be cautious sharing too much about a diagnosis or condition in that it can cause problems more than solve or minimize them.

My son doesn't have Asperger's Syndrome, just autism. He is very sociable, but is often accused of noseying in to other people's conversations or just being nosey in general when he tries to start a conversation and yet his fellow employees and employers always ask him about his private, confidential conversations with his support worker, social worker etc. His employer should have made adjustments in the workplace for him so that he can do his work to the best of his ability, but the employer is expecting my son to make all the changes.

Gillian