Do autistic people get screwed over at work more?

I prefer dealing with the burly construction worker.

If it was a "prank" then his next drink will contain ex-lax (I've done that, a guy in the army who used to like to drink my drinks found I'd put 18 ex-lax very finely ground up in a bottle f D&B once, very funny) if it's malevolent, then he might have a little "incident" of some type depending on the circumstances and my mood on the day..

It's that sneaky sly stuff that is alien to me.

Good point well made imo ️

Yep.

Matches my own workplace experiences.

I also find that IF an NT does something significant they get lauded for it, whereas if I do the same exact thing it attracts no praise whatsoever.

I also found that when the bennies were being handed out I was at the END of the line every single time.

As a self employed contractor social politics isn't so important, and the pay is better. 

I think being mistreated in the workplace is a very common autistic experience. I'm still haunted by certain workplace episodes, which I talk about in a YouTube video that I uploaded three days ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ot7rXUzzqvA

Mountain Goat said:

I begged my Mum to arrange for me to see a vet as one disn't haveto talk to a vet! :D ).

The real problem here starts when thet need to take your temperature - have you seen how they do that for a cat / dog?

Old Timer said:

I now fix and restore classic cars from home and this is working much better for me. It allows me to do something I love, spend time with my wife and daughter, and there's no one to use and mistreat me. It really is the best of both worlds for me

That's exactly the sort of thing I want to do with my writing 

Mountain Goat said:

! When others complain it is a complaint bur when I complain it is classed as moaning and is ignored! 

Exactly!

Oh yes! And not just confined to the workplace. Seems there are rules for everyone, but extra rules for me that no one else ia expected to do! When others complain it is a complaint bur when I complain it is classed as moaning and is ignored! 

Not saying it is always the case as sometimes there are decent people...  

Unfortunately this has been my own experience as well. Most autistic people are very honest and trusting and this is frequently used against us, especially in the workplace, which is such a shame. I worked in a clothing shop, a supermarket and also an IT firm but I was used and mistreated in every place.

I now fix and restore classic cars from home and this is working much better for me. It allows me to do something I love, spend time with my wife and daughter, and there's no one to use and mistreat me. It really is the best of both worlds for me.

I have found it very interesting and comforting reading through all these replies. I am very sad to hear all your experiences but comforted to know how many of us are in the same boat if that makes sense.

Another thing I often feel is that everyone else stands up for themselves at work and is respected and treated well for it but when I stand up for myself (even after dealing with a lot more cr*p than most people would) I get treated like a troublemaker. Does anyone else find this too?

Thank you that means a lot

Roy said:

I know I have to work twice as hard to achieve anything

This is the same for me as well. When your asd you got to work hard for everything really especially acceptance but so far I've been unsuccessful no 1 accepts that just use when they need me

Roy said:

I tend to undercharge as I always think my work isn’t good enough

So sorry to read this

Sorry your customers let you think this. Your work is good to, you are good enough too good for people.

I hope you see what a unique kind special person you are  

I now realise how much people did manipulate me at work, I didn’t even realise it was happening. I now work alone but still occasionally have customers to deal with. I find people put their needs first, my well-being seems unimportant to them.

I know I have to work twice as hard to achieve anything, I tend to undercharge as I always think my work isn’t good enough, this causes customers to abuse that fact.

From personal experience I can't say this has happened to me; as of now I am doing a full-time council job and am on a decent(ish) salary of nearly 29K (which at 24 I am surprised with). I did disclose after interview about my autism and have support/tools for mental health and such (as my job offers various services). I can say from what I have researched online, it can be difficult for autistic people (depending on circumstances) to stay in consistent employment because majority of employers don't really understand autism well.

Disclosing can be a catch 22 aswell, especially because you don't know how an employer will react when you mention autism. I personally feel that there is not enough support in terms of finding suitable work for autistic people, most get written off or pushed into jobs that don't suit their needs and it is so sad to see.

Aww sorry this has been your experience. I haven't worked before but it sounds a bit of a lottery when it comes to autism

At school it's a crazy place. I feel like the black sheep and literally everyone ignores me and I hear a lot of talking about me behind my back

In the toilet last year I heard girls saying about the retard which is what I'm called.

Never understand name calling lolol it's such a waste of time and literally gains nothing at all

It sounds like in a way that's what working can be like. People judge and mock rather than taking the time to get to know you.

Its their loss Billy your worth more we all are

Only recently I have been diagnosed and have not worked since very early sepetember 2019 due to being off on sick while waiting to be assessed... But to be honest I am not able to work as it stresses me too much due to the past.

The truth is I have sufcered so much past workplace abuse that it mentally effected me to the point that though the last time I worked the guys were so caring and great, msmories from the past kicked in time and time again to the point that I kept having repeat burnouts/breakdowns. 

So the answer now I know I am on the spectrum is a definate "YES" to the question "Are those on the spectrum more suseptable to workplace abuse". 

i spent several years working and recieving payslips where I later found out the company never knew I was working as I wasn't on their books and it was way below minimum wage for the next few years when I was due to a staff member in charge of the wages also insisting I did lots of "Compulsary" overtime to keep my job.  But the mental results of this hit me so hard  and kept repeating in serious burnouts where I went for a year or two with no income during the recovery from these. (Didn't know how to put feelings into words so could never explain to doctors or even go to doctors because I never knew what to say! I begged my Mum to arrange for me to see a vet as one disn't haveto talk to a vet! :D ).

I'm so sorry you've been through this. Unfortunately yes we can often be used in the workplace and ignored, like we're ill and people don't want to get too close. This has been my experience a few times, but not every time. I think a lot of it is to do with my lack of social skills, I don't know how to act around people, and I think it shows, and my coworkers notice it. Past jobs like working in supermarkets were horrible, the noise and having to deal with customers was unbearable and there my coworkers were horrible to me and they didn't try to hide it.

I'm currently working for a firm, on a floor with a couple of other women. We get on, no one is horrible and honestly this is by far the best job I've ever had. I don't mix with my coworkers, I don't fit in with them. But we all get on and they can be helpful and supportive, if I'm struggling. I haven't made my diagnosis a secret, and everyone's accepting as far as I can tell.

Pegg said:

I suppose to clarify, I don't want to stand out, because the attention that draws is just bad, in so many ways. 

If people think you're not like them, it can easily lead to persecution. 

In my experience 

My experience too, all my life.

From school to jobs... being 'attractive', brains and being 'odd' and very different from other women are not a good combination to allow you to get on with/be accepted by them, in my experience .. and led to bullying, big time.

To each their own. Personally, I prefer an office worker spreading rumours, to a burly construction worker nicking your tools or pushing you in the sand as a "prank". 

Judge Dredd said:

People from the lower strata tend to be more physically violent and abusive. The upper you go, the more "passive-aggressive" they become

I think that just comes down to honesty and may have some tie-in with 'class'.

If you wind someone up and they respond directly to you with aggression and then it's over, that's an honest response.

If you wind someone up and then they back stab you to other colleagues and superiors, without talking to you about it, that's worse, more pernicious and malicious.

I've been subject to both those responses and I know which one I'd prefer any day.