Disclosing potential ASD diagnosis at work

Hello all. I’m new here and hoped someone may be able to help me, or whether anyone has experience with this. I have searched the forum but couldn’t find anything quite like the issue I have. 

I have been in continuous employment at one company for the last 7 years. I am a female in my 30s. 

I am currently going through the autism diagnostic process with the NHS. I have completed Stage 1 and have been invited back for Stage 2, though I don’t have a date for this yet. 

I do intend to tell work if a diagnosis is confirmed, however something has come up and I may need to disclose this earlier than anticipated. 

Has anyone been in a situation like this before? Is it worth telling them even though I don’t know if it will be confirmed?

  • My declaring at work was the worst thing I ever did.  It opened me up to all sorts of abuse and bullying, being excluded from things and being talked about behind my back.   It was career suicide.

    I was exceptional in the role but I couldn't cope with the utter incompetence and lies from my manager.   My appraisals were BS and, because I cannot function when I am so abused, my ability to communicate disappears and the only words shouting in my head is F*** OFF.   Better to say nothing - so I become mute.

    The bully wins.

  • Is there any definition of the stages 1 to 3 assessments?

    Is stage 1 referal from a GP by any chance? 

  • I disclosed last December, at first my supervisor said "you don't look Autistic". Six months down the line and an occupational health assessment, I now have basic adjustments. 

    Only yesterday, my supervisor has suggested a weekly Wellbeing meeting, so there is some movement there. 

    I'm currently waiting for stage 3 assessment, this could take up to a year. 

  • It can be a bit of a double sword to be honest 

    I was formally diagnosed as an adult 5 years ago with ASD/ Aspergers. It was disclosed to my work and a set of reasonable adjustments was agreed between them and the occupational health, although they never really bothered implementing them.

    on a normal day you would not know about my condition as I come across as quite a forthright person, but part of the reasonable adjustments that were agreed with my work were that people I work with should have an awareness about my condition and I talk I. A very blunt, factual manner without any emotion or empathy. It was also part of the reasonable adjustments that people should be aware that I may say things that others may not consider socially acceptable. I have always been upfront about my condition since diagnoses but I find that people just stick there heads in the sand when you mention it.

    i moved to a different area in my work in 2017 and immeadiately disclosed to my new manager about my condition and offered him copies of my medical reports and diagnosis as well as a copy of the agreed reasonable adjustments and he just refused to look at them and said they did not concern him.

    I was working well in my job until early 2018 when I came back in the office and found someone talking badly about me to another member of staff. I told her several times not to do that as it was unprofessional but she carried on. I told her I would advise her not to carry on as I would take action (meaning I would formally report her) and she replied is that meant to be a threat and I said no “it’s advice”

    At some point after that she reported me for threatening her and I was suspended for using inappropriate language to her and the context of her allegation was exactly the same word I had used. I tried to explain it was in the nature of my condition as to how I spoke to people and that my manager had refused to see or implement the reasonable adjustments, but that was ignored and I was suspended. That was nearly 15 months ago and I am still suspended and they are now using the Autism as an excuse to not let me back to my job. They have said that until all my work colleagues have received training from the National Autistic society they won’t consider letting me back and that training cannot be provided by the NAS for 6 months due to a backlog, not sure how true that is though as they said that in March and appear not to have arranged anything as of yet.

    I have also been told that even after my work colleagues have training, that I then have to attend a mediation session with they to see if they can accept working with me due to my condition.

    So although it is best to disclose it, in my case they have used my diagnosis and condition to discriminate against me.

  • It;'s a tricky one. I'm in the same boat as you. I've been working for one company ever since graduating in 1987 and had several stress related problem and been signed off twice in the last twenty years. In fact my social anxiety and general anxiety has been getting steadily worse resulting in a few "meltdowns" over nothing. Of course this has all been taken negatively by my management to the point I have been told that my managers, manager wants me out of the group!! To this end I saw my GP, wrote a whole stack of notes and after nothing being done waiting 6 months for NHS help, went private. I was told by the Physiatrist that he was 95% sure I had Aspergers. I explained the problems I had been having at work and he said that they should have been more proactive in finding out why my behaviour was "erratic". Alas, although he said he was happy to give me a formal diagnosis, to make it official (especially if required for work problems) I would need another assessment - which I am now waiting for.

    Luckily, I am in the Unite union, and my union rep said that I am not alone and many others at our company suffer from mental health issues - laughingly our company is about to have a Wellbeing awareness 2 weeks !! I was advised to fo and see our Occupational Health, But I haven't because like, you I haven't said anything to anyone until I get an official diagnosis - to be honest I still don't quite believe it myself.

    However, events might take over and I will have to explain my mental health situation before I get the official diagnosis - you like me probably won't have much choice.

    BTW what are stages 1 & 2 ?? How likely is it that the stage 2 will overturn stage 1??????

    It's like me how likely is it that the second assessment with a mental health nurse and Psychologist will over turn the 95% certain diagnosis I have received from the Psychiatrist I saw?? 

  • Similarly, I told my immediate team at the start of the year that I was undergoing assessment for ASD - it explained the frequent 'Dr appointments' I was attending, plus there were a couple of low-level 'incidents' where I was... overly honest in my feedback on a subject (!) and it seemed appropriate to provide some sort of explanation...

    When I got the diagnosis I told the overall manager - I was the second person in 2 weeks to let him know they'd been diagnosed with ASD as an adult.

  • It did because it explained my slightly awkward way of being, I could get time off for assessment appointments and giving them my diagnosis came as no surprise.  Now I can get support Slight smile

  • Hi, did this work out well for you? 

  • Thanks, I will find out about the policies and procedures. 

  • Thanks for your input. I will certainly bear this in mind. 

  • Thanks. I didn’t realise reasonable adjustments could be made without a diagnosis. 

    In a way I wish I had gone through the process earlier in life as I have really struggled. 

    Luckily, I have a good manager so I stuck it out. 

  • Hello! I told work at the end of last year before my official diagnosis (which I now have) as a situation arose and I feel I needed to explain myself.  

  • Check company policies and procedures to start with - Mental Health, Diversity, Equality, Reasonable Changes, Sickness, etc as they identify key information.  Be aware that Equality Act 2010 states you do not need a diagnosis (or if you do then your employer does not need to be told - from my employers company policies).

    I would document things to cover your back - put it in writing to your manager/HR and Occupational Health (They may provide an Advice Note for a Temporary/Permanent restriction to cover yourself and the company).

    Being fully open, the bullying damager would not believe it until a full diagnosis (even though OH advice note covered me) which means outside procedure and discrimination.  This is approaching a peak now after 18 months yet I am still waiting for full diagnosis.

    Do not be put off disclosing or not but make sure you understand the background within your company.

  • I personally would think very carefully about disclosure at all.

    I'm sorry if this sounds incredibly negative but my personal experience is that I am autistic and have told no one. I still get the same respect and opportunities.

    A "friend" who is incredibly open about being autistic definitely doesn't not get the same respect and the same opportunities.

    Of course, we are not the same person, we have different personalities and skills. However, my advice remains that I would be very carefully considering all the factors before disclosing anything at all. 

    I don't know your exact circumstances but do the benefits of disclosing definitely outweigh the potential cost of disclosing? Some people are met by very understanding employers and colleagues but this is definitely not the case for all.

    The exception for my thinking on this matter is when you initially are offered a job and go through the occupational health screening. At that point you must disclose any condition that may impact your ability to work but that information can be kept entirely confidential and never given to the people you work with directly. You could still potentially go through occupational health to "disclose" though I don't have experience of exactly how that would work.

  • I found that telling work was necessary to get adjustments I needed in any case - I had a massive burnout and wouldn't have been able to get back on track at work without talking about suspecting ASD to highlight what was exhausting and stressing me.

    I would think if you've been there 7 years, they would know and value you and react with understanding (apart from the fact that they're legally obliged to).

    My diagnosis may yet turn out negative formally, but has already confirmed on paper the difficulties that my "reasonable adjustments" are based on, so it probably doesn't matter as far as work goes.