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Work problems

Bookworm
over 5 years ago

Hi I'm New here, I'm having problems at work with describing how aspergers affects me. My employer wont take my diagnosis as fact, they have a copy of the diagnosis letter but won't accept the description I give of how my symptoms affect me, they want proof from my gp, but I know my Gp knows nothing of AS and I am in danger of losing my job which I have been doing for 5 years! Im getting so close to giving up. Any advice?

Parents
  • over 5 years ago

    As Sunflower says, contact Access to Work.  You can apply online and in a short time (often less than a fortnight) they will contact you.  They will arrange to see you in the workplace (or rather one of their assessors will) and speak to your employer to arrange this. And don't worry about the process, they are very much on your side.  I have a support worker who is very useful (two sessions of ninety minutes each per month) and they recommend some adjustments and will look at your workplace to see if anything could be done to ease things.  They can also arrange training for staff and managers as to how autism affects you.  There is no costs to you.  Their purpose is to keep you in work.  And it is quite rapid unless holidays get in the way.

    https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work

    If you have the confidence to do it, send an email (email is best because you can get a 'trail' telling officially informing your employer you are autistic and saying how you are affected, and would like to know if they consider you disabled under the Equality Act, and if they don't, why not.  You might also find the following useful, read the introduction and the part that refers to autism specifically.  It will give you some ideas as to what you can say as to how autism affects you, be it sensory overload, delayed comprehension, dislike of change, problems of communication etc.

    https://www.unison.org.uk/content/uploads/2018/10/Proving-Disability-and-Reasonable-Adjustments-Oct2018.pdf

    Although it is written for union reps, it is also useful if you are not in a trade union.  There are some useful links within as well.

    Many adjustments help not only you but will also assist other employees.  After all, having someone stressed has an effect on all the workforce, and surely an employer would also want to get the best from their workforce.  As you have been in your workplace for five years you have full employment rights.  I don't know what circumstances have been like but has there been recent change with which you couldn't cope?  Or have things been bubbling over for some time and have just reached the tipping point, exacerbated by your autism?

    Hope it all works out soon

Reply
  • over 5 years ago

    As Sunflower says, contact Access to Work.  You can apply online and in a short time (often less than a fortnight) they will contact you.  They will arrange to see you in the workplace (or rather one of their assessors will) and speak to your employer to arrange this. And don't worry about the process, they are very much on your side.  I have a support worker who is very useful (two sessions of ninety minutes each per month) and they recommend some adjustments and will look at your workplace to see if anything could be done to ease things.  They can also arrange training for staff and managers as to how autism affects you.  There is no costs to you.  Their purpose is to keep you in work.  And it is quite rapid unless holidays get in the way.

    https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work

    If you have the confidence to do it, send an email (email is best because you can get a 'trail' telling officially informing your employer you are autistic and saying how you are affected, and would like to know if they consider you disabled under the Equality Act, and if they don't, why not.  You might also find the following useful, read the introduction and the part that refers to autism specifically.  It will give you some ideas as to what you can say as to how autism affects you, be it sensory overload, delayed comprehension, dislike of change, problems of communication etc.

    https://www.unison.org.uk/content/uploads/2018/10/Proving-Disability-and-Reasonable-Adjustments-Oct2018.pdf

    Although it is written for union reps, it is also useful if you are not in a trade union.  There are some useful links within as well.

    Many adjustments help not only you but will also assist other employees.  After all, having someone stressed has an effect on all the workforce, and surely an employer would also want to get the best from their workforce.  As you have been in your workplace for five years you have full employment rights.  I don't know what circumstances have been like but has there been recent change with which you couldn't cope?  Or have things been bubbling over for some time and have just reached the tipping point, exacerbated by your autism?

    Hope it all works out soon

Children