Ayup! – I’ve been sent down the A-Road by my employer

Hello All, I am a female civil engineering technician from the East Midlands with over 16 years experience of highways, rail, drainage etc. and I have recently been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) aged 39.

My journey began when I was signed off work with anxiety and depression in the summer. Things hadn’t been going well with the job. There had been a number of fall-outs with others, misunderstandings and so on. In fact, I have struggled to keep a job all my working life.

While I was off, one of the associate directors where I work suggested that I use the time to reflect on what triggers my stress/anxiety. Instantaneously, I said ‘noise’ in reply and mentioned that my desk neighbour’s constant, vibrating, push notifications were reverberating through my arms and driving me to despair.

Anyway, I began to research online and as one of the many things that I have been criticised about by my managers is being overly sensitive, eventually I came across some research by Elaine N. Aron concerning the use of fMRI scans to measure empathy and her theories concerning “highly sensitive persons” “affected by sensory processing sensitivity that makes them more emotional” in the Daily Mail.

I completed the questionnaire on her website and scored very highly and then when reading the FAQ section afterwards, I came across this question: How does sensitivity differ from Autistic spectrum disorders (Asperger’s Syndrome, etc.)?

In the meantime, my employer wasn’t satisfied with the two occupational health professional’s reports they had previously commissioned so they arranged for me to see a neuropsychiatrist who eventually diagnosed me after an appointment that I made privately as my employers didn’t want to pursue it any further once told after their initial probe that ASD was more than probable.

Once ASD had been alluded to, my employer attempted reductionism by means of soliciting the advice of an ergonomist, someone who would normally deal with display screen assessments and seated posture, interestingly, also behavioural safety in relation to the design of nuclear plant control panels and software interfaces - just not autism.

I am grateful to my employer in that I now know why I am a serial leg bouncer and chair rocker. In fact, my earliest memory is looking down on a pair of socks pulled right up to my knees and the obligatory pair of 1970’s t-bar shoes and having my legs smacked by a well-meaning aunt who insisted that I must behave and keep still!

However, I have encountered an awful lot of ignorance and prejudice at work having been accused of trying to use my disability to my advantage in order to see the psychiatrists reasonable adjustments concerning a quiet working environment implemented.

I have engaged with ACAS to try and get my employer to compromise over my environment but they say that letting me work out of one of their 4 x quiet rooms which are empty 99% of the time would be too disruptive to the business.

Also, I made a business case for flexible working from home by means of a statutory request following the Stevenson and Farmer review of mental health at work on the basis that I wouldn’t need time off with anxiety and depression if I were allowed to work in an environment conducive to my needs but to no avail.

I am currently signed off by my GP researching employment law precedents and waiting for the employer to conclude its deliberations and inform me of their decision in writing.

Parents
  • Hello Cad,

    Sounds to me like you are doing above and beyond what you should be in order to facilitate your employer.

    Please remember that the legal onus is generally on the employer to reasonably accommodate the employee, should they present with a medical condition that affects their ability to enjoy working hard, as you onbvioulsy do.

    Your depression and anxiety sound very similar to that which I expereinced at work, for similar reasons.

    Today, HR departments are trying deperatley to ensure middle managers exercise appropriate procedures when it comes to neurodiversity, so let them do the worrying.

    As long as you get officially diagnosed, you should not have to justify yourself in any way and your company will be bound to treat you fairoy.

    Good luck...

  • Hello Music for the Mind,

    I appreciate that the onus is on the employer but it seems they have interpreted that to mean that its what the employer feels like doing/not doing irrespective of whether or not it sucsessfully removes the disadvantage. 

    I must say, even the other staff who as far as I know aren't autistic are all wearing ear defenders of sorts and getting special dispensation to work from home at times when they are coding and so on.

    Where I work is a little bit behind the times with diversity and have only very recently launched a well-being programme which is shocking considering what a huge multi-national it is and that was only because a certain contract demanded it.

    I have been officially diagnosed and my employer knows that and got mad at me as if it was an inconvenience to them and because they hadn't commissioned it and I paid for it, they didn't like it.

    I honestly thought that the formal diagnosis would make them see that I am genuine but they treat me as if I am exaggerating and lying which although its only work, I find quite hurtful.

    Thanks for writing to me and for your support nonetheless!

    Its great to know that I am not alone!

  • I would have thought a large multinational would be looking to ensure they are suitably neurodiverse.

    They are most likely being hostile because they haven't got their policies sorted.

    Alos, they may be wary of setting precedents :                                                                                                            

    Just be cooperative but tenacious

  • I think you are right that I ought to be considering a smaller firm. There is a return to work and mentorship scheme offered by the ICE benevolent fund with numerous companies signed up to help returners after a few months break. I shall get in touch with them for sure if I can't work things out where I am now. 

    I know of two people who have been poorly treated by Russell Group Uni's because of their shocking arrogance.

    My office is Russell Group 1st class honours central and one colleague who used to sit behind me lectured at one for 17 years which may explain why I am sort of seen as a second-class citizen. 

Reply
  • I think you are right that I ought to be considering a smaller firm. There is a return to work and mentorship scheme offered by the ICE benevolent fund with numerous companies signed up to help returners after a few months break. I shall get in touch with them for sure if I can't work things out where I am now. 

    I know of two people who have been poorly treated by Russell Group Uni's because of their shocking arrogance.

    My office is Russell Group 1st class honours central and one colleague who used to sit behind me lectured at one for 17 years which may explain why I am sort of seen as a second-class citizen. 

Children
No Data