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really need help regarding my current job :( (please at least skim read)

solitarymonkey

--- Long Post ---

Hi guys. I'm really in desperate need of some help/support.

I've been employed by a well known retail outlet that has a store in my village, for nearly 9 years. It has always been a struggle, but in general, I've so far managed reasonably well. I was promoted up to a lower management level, but was "highly recommended" to step down or risk being "disciplined out of the busininess for underperforming" to the level expected of me. This was purely for my lack of people skills (telling people to speed up, work harder, tell them off when in the wrong, etc). After the demotion, I became a well established low level member of staff given tasks that were in the area's I was strongest (computer based work and stock management), and effectively given near immunity to having to go on the till which I found very stressful (but at the time, had no diagnosis of ASD's, only anxiety disorder and depression). I enjoyed my job. To a degree, anyway.

But this is where my problem begins.

This year, the company moved some managers around, one of which, being mine. The new manager we got, claims to be very charity orientated and understanding of people with disabilities. The first day she started at our store, I was happy and ready to get along (or at least try), and to show some openness and honesty, admitted to her that I was on a waiting list for an assessment of whether I had Asperger's syndrome, but it has it's strength's, such as my in depth knowledge of the ordering system and attention to detail.

Was it worth it? No! My whole shift pattern changed continually. I was constantly being put on till. I rarely got the time I needed to complete the tasks I was doing to the depth I was used to. And I was constantly being told off for being too slow, underperforming and her feeling like she couldnt see what i was being paid 39 hours of work for. Does this constitute as emotional blackmail?!

For the record, I was successfully diagnosed with Asperger syndrome 2 months ago, and my mum came with me to work straight after the consultation to inform my manager there and then of my condition etc. A few weeks later, my GP then wrote a letter for me to hand in to work as a brief guide as to what can be done to help me. He did this as a letter/report from the team that diagnosed me could take quite a while. Yet, nothing has changed.

Today for example, I was litterally on the till for 7 - 7.5 hours out of 9. I had one ciggarette break, and did not stop at all! Was it good enough? No!

She actually tried to say at one point, "this is what needs to be done everyday. If he (another member of staff) can do it, what are you doing with the 39 hours your here?!" "To be fair, i'm always on the till", I replied, to which she dismissed as trash, effectively calling me a lazy liar!

I can not defend myself in an arguement, as I get what I can only describe as a "grey out". Not quite a black out, but my vision darkens and I get really dizzy and feel sick. So I never argue my point for fear of passing out.

I feel so heavilly taken advantage of, and that my health means nothing!

Please. Can anyone suggest anything that could help me. Personal. Legal. Anything!!

I'm now on 3 medications and am teary every day. Struggling to make it through.

I appreciate ANY input you people can give me. Thank you for reading..

Thank you.

--- /Long post ---

  • @Treacle Sandwich: It's disgusting that the NHS has behaved like that but sadly it doesn't surprise me as I have been victim to senior NHS personnel lying and covering up myself.

    This information may help you with whistle blowing on the individuals/department:

    http://www.nhsemployers.org/EmploymentPolicyAndPractice/UKEmploymentPractice/RaisingConcerns/Pages/GuidanceAndSupportforNHSStaff.aspx

    I think you should challenge the union.  Is it these people?

    ttp://www.unison.org.uk/get-help/

    It's very important that the NHS understand their responsibilities towards someone with a legally recognised disability, which is what autism is (and you are correct, it's intolerably appalling that they are behaving like this in the face of applicable laws but it's down to the NHS not informing staff most likely).

    You need to go to Healthwatch and shake these "ne'er do wells" up: http://www.healthwatch.co.uk/

    They are being very helpful to me with an NHS related issue I have at the moment.

  • To solitary monkey, you need to inform your boss (and if she doesn't accept it go to HQ personnel department) that she is effectively contravening the Equality Act 2010 by not making reasonable adjustments for you in your job and she is actually making discriminatory comments which is against the law.

    Don't argue with her, refer her to the Act I mention above and write to your company's personnel department with proof of your diagnosis so that they will ensure she makes the right reasonable adjustments.

  • hi solitarymonkey

    as you only had a recent diagnosis it will probably take a while for them to adhere to what they should be doing, and probably a lot of coaxing from you, your family etc

    my partner is in a job , he went in telling them he has autism, and they STILL even months later dont really make ajustments properly for him, and actually has been informed, in writing, his 'social skills' need tobe better (again , they just don't get it)

    tho they ARE required to by law as scorpion says

    it doesnt seem to make a difference, they dont know what autism is, they don't seem to care much either

    i hope, for you and him that it gets better, but unless they are forced to it probably wont, and that is something the government should be dealing with in informing employers about this issue (along with many others) and holding employers accountable 

    us nts may not understand but some of are trying to and trying to help make it better for you Smile

  • thanks for all the helpful and supportive comments guys. I really appreciate it. I'm at work at the moment, but I'll reply with more details when I get home. thank you!

  • Yeah, I know.

    The distinction for me is not so much on the mangement/professional side it - but rather on the side of the personalities that are drawn to those roles.

    The training doesn't make the person.

  • Most NTs are just as puzzled and confused by the world around them as we are. Management trainees - that is something different. It's "dog eat dog" to use a dreadful metaphor. There's something infinately tragic about people who want to manage other people.

    While I know I find the world confusing, most NTs either don't get worked up by me, or they show some "give and take".  You need to believe that to stay sane. There are really very few NTs you have to worry about - professionals and managers.

  • longman said:
    Underhand, sneaky, 'back door' dirty tricks, unfortunately, seems to be in the nature of management training.

    I think it's more likely that it's in the nature of too many NT's, rather than it being a result of management training.

  • I also think you need to look at constructive redundancy. This manager seems to be putting you into situations and aggravating you in order that you resign (or lose your temper) and she can get rid of a disabled member of staff.

    So you need to keep records of anything like that, and if possible try to have someone else present as a witness (if reliable).

    I suspect a lot of people on the spectrum lose jobs either by being dismissed or resigning, because someone in the management chain doesn't want a disabled person on the staff and sets that person up to fail.

    The problem is while explicit discrimination is legally pursuable, bullying and setting someone up to fail is harder to prove.

    That's why it is happening. Explicit discrimination would get this manager into trouble. Underhand, sneaky, 'back door' dirty tricks, unfortunately, seems to be in the nature of management training.

  • Hi there Solitarymonkey (great name by the way) -

     

    Here's how my ASD and work affect each other, it may help, it may not but what I hope it will do is help you realise that you are not alone.

     

    I was in a job which was a career when I received my diagnosis of High Functioning Autism and I shared this with my employer.  A year later I was included in a round of redundancies being told that funding was the problem, despite others who weren't as good as me at the job being kept on and I knew the real reason but was unable to prove it.

    I found another job and lost that due to ASD but successfully proved I had been discriminated against given my employer had agreed to take steps to help me and hadn't.  If you go down this road, you need a solicitor who can deal with this kind of stuff properly and has experience in this area.

     

    I moved city (back to my home town) and found a further job and made the decision not to tell my new employer of my diagnosis because I knew what would happen if I did.  It's a manual job and I don't have much to do with people so it's mostly ok.

    Up until recently everything was fine and I can structure my day into routines that work for me and for my employer (who is generally happy with my work). I have little to do with my colleagues- they think I am a little 'odd' but I don't care.

    THEN we get new rules and regulations in, new working hours and the upshot is I now do not know what my weekly hours are for a week until the friday before - I have been told that this is temporary but I know it's not. This is making life very difficult for me and because of other structural changes my routines are disturbed.

     

    How do I handle this?

    I'm lucky in the sense that I am quite self-contained but I am becoming increasingly stressed in the work place and have found I get laughed at when this happens. After 5 years I can't now tell my employer I need adjustments making I have to 'get on with it' and I am finding ways of doing this - with the help of my Mum (who is great) I have built a support structure outside of work so when I'm done I have some breathing space to do what I need to do and people who know what to do with me. For me, it's been about putting coping strategies in place, which have helped.

    I work 8 hours a day which is a small part of the week and I've learned to get this into perspective.

     

    I think in your situation it is worth taking your case up under the DDA act given you've had reasonable adjustment previously - it seems to me you are now being bullied and this is against the law.

    People (NT's) do not understand what it is like to be on the autism spectrum, they say they understand but I don't think they do fully and this is where the problem lies - people think they know what's best for you when in reality they don't have a clue and they wouldn't think to ask you.

     

    Good luck monkey!  Keep posting here and we'll support you best we can and I hope things work out for you.

  • In short, under the Equality Act 2010, your employer must legally make reasonable adjustments for your diasability.

    This is what your previous manager was doing, and your current manager is not.

    If I were you I would ask your mum to phone your work on your behalf and ask for an appointment with your line manager, and the store manager.

    Then ask your mum to explain to them, at that appointment, that you are willing to work, and do all that you can in the store, but that they must legally make resonable adjustments for your disability, or you will seek further legal advice.

    Also, do you have a copy of the letter the GP sent? If so, make another copy, take it with you, and make sure the store manager gets a copy.

    That may be all that is required.

    But, if things still don't change, write to the Area Manager, again explaining that you are willing to work, and do all that you can, in the store, but that, by law, they must make all reasonable adjustments for your disablity.

    If that doesn't work, write to head office.

    And, for more advice, I suggest you start by visiting your local CAB - even if they themselves can not give you specific advice, they will be able to direct you to someone that can.

    And, for more information on the Equality Act 2010, see here.