Should I hand in my notice?

Hi Hope

Regarding the hours of work, I'm afraid my interpretation of evening meetings would have been meetings starting around 1830-1930, so that people attending can get home from work during the day and then go back out for them.  Your employer could and should have been more clear about how late you would be expected to be available though.  "Evening meetings" is ambiguous.  I'm surprised to hear of a council-funded charity for people with disabilities doing anything outside 9-5 Monday-Friday though, based upon my experience where I live.  Most "services" here conveniently ignore the fact that disabled people may actually have to work during the day.

Whilst I'd agree that it's better to go voluntarily than be forced, I've been told that it's easier to find work if you are already in work.  I guess that prospective employers may think that you can clearly work because you are so you're going for their job because you really want it, rather than wondering whether you can work and if you're going for their job because you're unemployed so really need it.  To be cynically optimistic, if your current employer wants to get rid of you but you appear stubbornly determined to keep working then that may work in your favour when it comes to them writing a reference too.  That is, if they do want to get rid of you it's in their interests to help you find something else to save them the hassle.  Leaving voluntarily too soon may make it harder to find another job, and it may well get even harder if you end up out of work for a while.

If your employer is "disability-friendly" (and especially if they subscribe to the "Two-Ticks" scheme) then they should also look at whether it is possible to redeploy you to another role if you do become "unable" to do your current job because of a disability.  This may be something to look at before handing in your notice.

To be more positive though, with Aspergers Syndrome you almost certainly have some useful skills/abilities and a lot of determination to offer.  If you can find a position that makes use of them then the employer will probably not care much about the "deficits".  Work shouldn't be about slogging it out, it should be something fulfilling.  If you are financially secure enough not to need another job immediately, that may well also mean that you can be more flexible about what you look for to start with so that you can find something more suited to you, perhaps even self-employed.  

From a pragmatic point of view, I would strongly advise you to have an advocate of some kind or (if you have one) Union rep with you at meetings with your employer.  Aside from  meaning that you have a witness for anything that they say this could influence their behaviour, especially if it is somebody external to the employer.

Yes Hope Access to Work are part of Job centre but you can contact them direct, details are on the net.  You will first go through to a main centre where they will just take some basic details and then you will get a phone call back from someone who will listen to you in more detail.  This first process can take about a week. If you don't hear back from someone in a week ring again because when I did they had somehow lost my details.!    Have you're national insurance number handy cos they need this.  They will assess you're situation and if they think you fit the criteria they will contact you're employer and then it goes on from there. 

Thanks abstar. I have not heard of this Access to Work thing. Would I need to contact the Job-Centre?

The role has changed. I am expected to work slightly later hours on some days, which to me, is a stressful change because my anxiety climbs in the evenings.

I do think a hidden agenda could be at play here. The Council funds the Charity I work for, and is probably seeking an alibi in order dismiss me - I am easy pickings.

The Council goes on about how they are trying to improve the lives of people with Asperger's but really they are hardly doing anything at all!. It is all window-dressing and functions, with no substance.

Ironically the Charity I work for is introducing Asperger training schemes, but their staff are not always Asperger aware anyway, so what does this amount to if I have to leave my job because the terms no longer take into account my needs?

You say the first 2 years you were doing well, did something change in you're role around this time ?.  Don't give up on this yet.  You are entitled to have a work place assessment done which you can apply for through Access to Work.  The workplace assessment will probably be done by the NAS.  It is very thorough and you're employer has to show that they have implemented adjustments to help you overcome the difficulties that you are having.

Beware constructive dismissal - my perception of what I've read is they are trying to destabalise your position in the hope you hand in your notice.

Are they aware of your autistic spectrum status (not just nominally, but what it involves)? If they took you on knowing this they cannot fairly come back on the deal complaining that ASD related difficultries were an issue. Socialising, group dynamics and organisation difficulties are factors they ought to expect.

But if there are pressures towards team cut backs in the current economic situation, they may well be rumbling to make excuses.

I experienced a lot of this right through my career, never amounted to enough to end the job, and usually because when it came to it there was only hearsay evidence and quibbles.

But with being on the spectrum, group dynamics is going to be tricky. And socialising lets face it is bound to be hard work.

Certain things you may be expected to try - you might be able to improve on being scatty and forgetful by using more organisational aids - diary, calendar, organiser facilities on your computer that give you prompts.

Also mistrust and resentment will show, much more than you imagine, so do try to reduce this.

But I think you are entitled to some explanation as to how you improve and whether these are improvements prevented by your ASD status. You could ask several people you trust to give you feedback where they feel you are falling short of expectations, and show your line manager that you are doing this in a genuine effort to resolve things.

The other thing to remember is jobs are scarce right now. Many people in work are finding their jobs increasingly compromised because employers know people cannot just go and get another job.  And if you do find yourself unemployed getting benefits is harder.

It's their fault for not being specific when they told you about evening meetings, knowing you have AS they should understand the need for explicitness.  However, they might have used that as a "test" on interview candidates to assess their flexibility.  We are not known for our flexibility, and I have had previous comments on staff appraisals about my need to be more flexible.  But if they took you on knowing you have AS they should expect all the traits that come with that (including inability to deal with group dynamics).  Can you ask for or make yourself a list of expected tasks that can be used as a "to-do" list so that you don't forget to do things?  It seems to me they need to be finding out from you what you need to make your job successful, you need to think through what else they could do and ask for it.  They should be supporting you not criticising you.

I work for a charity, and all staff are trained in Asperger's as part of their ongoing professional development. I have even been invited to an Asperger's training day. In terms of reasonable adjustments, I have asked for things like written instructions, a breakdown of tasks, and I mainly work from home. But I get the impression that they cannot tweak things anymore, and that I am expected to be more flexible, for example changing the time of meetings to later in the evening. I was told today that I was told when I applied for the job that there would be evening meetings, but I interpreted evenings to mean no later than 6.30 pm!.

Does your employer provide you with reasonable adjustments?  Is there a sideways move within the organisation that would involve less people contact?