Published on 12, July, 2020
Currently I am struggling, probably going through a shutdown as people have noticed I’ve become withdrawn.
The cause of this is my employers, it has left me no choice but to look for another job. My manager changes my rota without asking which disturbs my routine, I am told I will never progress for promotion where I am due to my health issues although I haven’t asked for any workplace adjustments. I don’t get regular lunchtimes. When I confided in a senior at the company, he said “everyones a little autistic”.(I am a adult late diagnosed, whilst working for this company, HR never came to speak to me about it post diagnosis, pre diagnosis the HR Director said “autism is very common these days”).
I am told I should learn to adapt my autism to the work environment by a senior staff. By nature I am an introvert, and keep on getting told I need to be more outgoing and louder. As an employee my work is spot on they have no complaints I’m meticulous but I lack hitting the targets marginally and thats why I keep on getting threatened to be put on reviews, this induces anxiety and fear of losing my job. I work in a bright, noisy environment and have a customer facing job, I mask highly to get on with it, I am good at what I do, money is not the motivator, we are commission based with a basic salary. My motivation is the product I sell, its one of my special interests.
Are there other autistics who have been dealing with discrimination, bullying, underestimation of intelligence or employers not caring ?
Do you just leave and find elsewhere or challenge their ignorance and lack of training on neurodiversity?
I advise that if you have not already asked for reasonable adjustments, ask for them. ACAS and Scope have templates for letters to ask for reasonable adjustments (in the letter you could ask for notice to be given when the rota is changed and a consistent lunch break and help with scheduling). Ask for reasonable adjustments in a letter (save a copy for reference) and get a written response from your employer. This will be important if you need to take action later (as I'm unfortunately doing just now. My old employer discriminated against me, rather like what's happening to you). If your employer won't give you a written response, that's a red flag for discrimination.
I think at this point anything I request is going to ruffle feathers. I asked for an internal transfer to another store and have been told I have to go through the “recruitment process” new application, assessments etc for the same role at a different location. This is baffling me because recently we have had a few transfers and they didn’t have to do any of that. There isnt an internal transfer policy for reference, but now I’m really beginning to feel discriminated. Its causing alot of mental stress and no job is worth anyones health to be compromised.