Employee with autism - what are my rights?

First off all I want to say that its disappoints me how few employers look towards recruiting autistic people and how low the statistics are for people on the spectrum in full time employment. I wish this was different as throughout my employment there have been many neurotypicals bringing very little to the table whereas I know their companies would benefit from people on the spectrum who would bring so much more. Therefore I want to say something about my experiences of seeking promotion but at the same time I do not want to seem unsympathetic towards those who can not get a job. I hope this is clear. I want things to change and wherever I can I encourge HR departments to look towards people on the spectrum.

Ok promotion. To begin with I have not been dignosed officially and I am just starting on that process, just to be clear. I have been lucky enough to move through several jobs in my career but unable to progress within any of the companies I have been with. Promotion is just something that happens to other people. The frustrating thing is that I work hard to try and achieve it.

For example, in my current job, which is a step down position I took nearly three years ago to get away from a really bad company, I am trying to move up the ladder by moving into a side role. When I took the position after a few months it was clear to me that the procedures they were using were very in-afficent. Therefore in my own time, I wrote several computer programs and divised new ways of working which I demostrated to my boss. He was impressed and gave me work time to develop this further. We implemented these sytems and now two years later my methods and programs are used every day by all in the department. It is has also been proven to save time and money. I enjoy this sort of work and have since decided it is more of what I want to do. Therefore I approached my boss to see if a position could be created. He and his bosses lked the idea and said a business plan would be needed to justify the position.

This was over a year ago and to date nothing has majorly happened although they have used my skills three times now in other departments. I have wrote the essence of the plan myself and tried to move the process along but still there has not been an official proposal put forward for me. They make a lot of promises but use the excuse of my day job (which I am officially employed to do) against me. Even though I am finding that more and more less interesting. To be fair to them the workload is intense and we do need to get the work out for paying customers and if i were to be promoted they would need someone to fill the role I do now. I do see things from their point of view in some ways and when we have had rare dips in workload I have had time to develop my ideas. 

The thing what I am asking is does anybody think I am projecting something that could be due to autistic traits, that is stopping them from promoting me? On paper I am an absolute money saver and tick all the right boxes. Other companies have said they would think it was christmas come early to have someone like me, yet my company just do not seem to want to take the risk? (Sorry if that sounds arrogant - I feel awkward typing it)

I am a bit woried that the social issues and anxiety that they know I have, are just never going to let me achieve what I want to. Do anybody else on here feel like this?  I can really relate to xor as his situation sounds simliar. Why are companies so scared of developing good people? Why not take a risk? The rewards for everyone could be so great. I think everyone should have the opportunity for promotion and work if they so want it and it is sad that so many of us are denied it outright or in more subtle ways.

Once agin I hope this is ok with everyone -thanks for reading - it does mean a lot to know some people are listening.

First off all I want to say that its disappoints me how few employers look towards recruiting autistic people and how low the statistics are for people on the spectrum in full time employment. I wish this was different as throughout my employment there have been many neurotypicals bringing very little to the table whereas I know their companies would benefit from people on the spectrum who would bring so much more. Therefore I want to say something about my experiences of seeking promotion but at the same time I do not want to seem unsympathetic towards those who can not get a job. I hope this is clear. I want things to change and wherever I can I encourge HR departments to look towards people on the spectrum.

Ok promotion. To begin with I have not been dignosed officially and I am just starting on that process, just to be clear. I have been lucky enough to move through several jobs in my career but unable to progress within any of the companies I have been with. Promotion is just something that happens to other people. The frustrating thing is that I work hard to try and achieve it.

For example, in my current job, which is a step down position I took nearly three years ago to get away from a really bad company, I am trying to move up the ladder by moving into a side role. When I took the position after a few months it was clear to me that the procedures they were using were very in-afficent. Therefore in my own time, I wrote several computer programs and divised new ways of working which I demostrated to my boss. He was impressed and gave me work time to develop this further. We implemented these sytems and now two years later my methods and programs are used every day by all in the department. It is has also been proven to save time and money. I enjoy this sort of work and have since decided it is more of what I want to do. Therefore I approached my boss to see if a position could be created. He and his bosses lked the idea and said a business plan would be needed to justify the position.

This was over a year ago and to date nothing has majorly happened although they have used my skills three times now in other departments. I have wrote the essence of the plan myself and tried to move the process along but still there has not been an official proposal put forward for me. They make a lot of promises but use the excuse of my day job (which I am officially employed to do) against me. Even though I am finding that more and more less interesting. To be fair to them the workload is intense and we do need to get the work out for paying customers and if i were to be promoted they would need someone to fill the role I do now. I do see things from their point of view in some ways and when we have had rare dips in workload I have had time to develop my ideas. 

The thing what I am asking is does anybody think I am projecting something that could be due to autistic traits, that is stopping them from promoting me? On paper I am an absolute money saver and tick all the right boxes. Other companies have said they would think it was christmas come early to have someone like me, yet my company just do not seem to want to take the risk? (Sorry if that sounds arrogant - I feel awkward typing it)

I am a bit woried that the social issues and anxiety that they know I have, are just never going to let me achieve what I want to. Do anybody else on here feel like this?  I can really relate to xor as his situation sounds simliar. Why are companies so scared of developing good people? Why not take a risk? The rewards for everyone could be so great. I think everyone should have the opportunity for promotion and work if they so want it and it is sad that so many of us are denied it outright or in more subtle ways.

Once agin I hope this is ok with everyone -thanks for reading - it does mean a lot to know some people are listening.