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disclosure to new employer

belles12345

I am currently employed, and am considering applying for another job that may be better suited to me.  I have recently found out about my AS traits and am realising how much they affect me in my position (communication issues, anxiety, social difficulties).  I am fairly sure some of my colleagues are aware of my difficulties, as well as my manager.  I am currently successful in the technical aspects of my job, however also I am aware of various tricky situations that have arisen due to communication difficulties, as well as general difficulties like time management.  

I am nervous to apply to a new job in the knowledge that I have difficulties without disclosing anything.  If would feel like lying to a potential employer- I can seem very chatty and ok at interview as I learn scripts for this and also very interested in my work- it's after this that the difficulties start, and I have a history of unsuccessful jobs due to social difficulties/bullying and being let go without an understandable reason.  However I am also aware that in my field this will be viewed as a negative, and it does disadvantage me in several ways as my job requires a fair amount of time working with people.  I also worry any disclosure may not be taken seriously as I think I can seem fairly NT (if a bit odd) on the surface.

I think I have answered my own question through writing this, and that is that I shouldn't mention anything, especially without a diagnosis.  However it makes me very worried about applying for another position.  Any advice?  Feel like I am going round in circles with this!  Thanks for your help in advance.

Parents

  • The issue of being taken seriously if you seem fairly able seems to me to be a significant barrier.

    Also, there is a lot of adverse impact from people's negative perception of mental ill health - and while we may argue that autism per se isn't a mental health problem, the fact is many people think that way.

    Also their perception of a mental health issue is influenced by media (as is public perception of autism). Many people who disclose a mental health issue may simply be disclosing anxiety, depression, an eating disorder, bipolar etc., but the way things are presented with regard to workplace confidentiality, usually assumes "mental health issue" is more discrete. Colleagues may read mental health issue as an imminent attack by someone with an axe. Media presentations of autism aren't helpful either (I happened to see the eternal repeat of the Heartbeat programme this evening where the schoolboy with implied aspergers blows up the police station in revenge over a dog being run over).

    So there are real considerations needed to disclosure if you appear to be only slightly affected, and indeed people may wonder why you are doing it.

    Also Triad of Impairments based explanations, which management can access on line (or via well intended training courses) over-simplify autism into things like not having many friends, having trouble with metaphors, or being very obsessive or having narrow interests - is that really fully representative?

    I think if you are managing, non disclosure is potentially valid. Are you technically "disabled" by it, or if able are you not considered eligible to think of yourself as disabled? If you don't strictly qualify as disabled some people take the view you aren't entitled to disability equality provision.

    I wish NAS would be clearer on this. I think their focus is more about those less likely to be in work, rather than those who are in work long term but experiencing difficulty. Advice for someone in a supported work experience placement will likely not help someone in full time employment.

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  • The issue of being taken seriously if you seem fairly able seems to me to be a significant barrier.

    Also, there is a lot of adverse impact from people's negative perception of mental ill health - and while we may argue that autism per se isn't a mental health problem, the fact is many people think that way.

    Also their perception of a mental health issue is influenced by media (as is public perception of autism). Many people who disclose a mental health issue may simply be disclosing anxiety, depression, an eating disorder, bipolar etc., but the way things are presented with regard to workplace confidentiality, usually assumes "mental health issue" is more discrete. Colleagues may read mental health issue as an imminent attack by someone with an axe. Media presentations of autism aren't helpful either (I happened to see the eternal repeat of the Heartbeat programme this evening where the schoolboy with implied aspergers blows up the police station in revenge over a dog being run over).

    So there are real considerations needed to disclosure if you appear to be only slightly affected, and indeed people may wonder why you are doing it.

    Also Triad of Impairments based explanations, which management can access on line (or via well intended training courses) over-simplify autism into things like not having many friends, having trouble with metaphors, or being very obsessive or having narrow interests - is that really fully representative?

    I think if you are managing, non disclosure is potentially valid. Are you technically "disabled" by it, or if able are you not considered eligible to think of yourself as disabled? If you don't strictly qualify as disabled some people take the view you aren't entitled to disability equality provision.

    I wish NAS would be clearer on this. I think their focus is more about those less likely to be in work, rather than those who are in work long term but experiencing difficulty. Advice for someone in a supported work experience placement will likely not help someone in full time employment.

Children
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