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Should I tell work about my autism?

Travelman

I've recently been diagnosed with autism and learning difficulties.  I work full time and find work challenging sometimes.  Should I tell work about my diagnosis or would they stop giving me work (I'm employed on a self-employed basis).

Parents

  • It is a bit of a "catch 22" really - if you have a good relationship with the people you have contact with at the company, you may not need to tell them, if you don't have a good relationship you may need to but they may use it against you.  It depends whether they will listen.

    I wish I had known at some points in my working life that I had it because we didn't seem to be speaking the same language and it might have helped - though they were inclined to blame every communication issue on me regardless. On the other hand, I once worked as a self-employed person and it was my contact who suggest I had AS so she was fine about it, but she was, on the whole, more accomodating generally.

    Is the person you would need to tell likely to listen?

    Before you do it, I think you should get help writing down specifically what your difficulties are in relation to work. Don't rush this. Try and think about every aspect of the work situation, both doing work and relating to people. If you can think of ways it might be improved then include these. If you tell them give them a copy of this document.  That way you are trying to avoid any false sterotypes of AS that they may have.

    You are not required to tell them.

Reply

  • It is a bit of a "catch 22" really - if you have a good relationship with the people you have contact with at the company, you may not need to tell them, if you don't have a good relationship you may need to but they may use it against you.  It depends whether they will listen.

    I wish I had known at some points in my working life that I had it because we didn't seem to be speaking the same language and it might have helped - though they were inclined to blame every communication issue on me regardless. On the other hand, I once worked as a self-employed person and it was my contact who suggest I had AS so she was fine about it, but she was, on the whole, more accomodating generally.

    Is the person you would need to tell likely to listen?

    Before you do it, I think you should get help writing down specifically what your difficulties are in relation to work. Don't rush this. Try and think about every aspect of the work situation, both doing work and relating to people. If you can think of ways it might be improved then include these. If you tell them give them a copy of this document.  That way you are trying to avoid any false sterotypes of AS that they may have.

    You are not required to tell them.

Children
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