Need urgent advice - work, settlement, honesty and the future

Thanks. Just wish there was a chance for proper closure as if I was to leave normally. I'm going to try and organise a get together with those that care. 

Glad to hear u got it sorted. 

As as nice as it is that u care about yr ex colleagues, it’s now no longer your problem.

Focus on YOUR future. At least financially you have more options than most people who leave a work place.

really happy for ya.

THANKYOU to everyone that has commented on my post. Today, I took the very hard decision to sign the settlement. After seventeen years of full time and twenty-two years part time I am leaving a good company sadly with some not so good people around. I'm hoping the sense of loss and pain will disappear over time and by moving forward things will be better for me. I am seriously concerned about those I have left behind especially as the antagonist is still at work, my solicitor advised me against writing to the company once I have officially left, I'm hoping my union rep will know some workaround so I can in some way protect those that need it and also expose the real problems. 

I'm going to be pretty blunt.

its commendable that you care about others, but unless in the situation you are in, it's not going to pay your mortgage. The only thing you can control is what you decide. Forget about what others think, because if you were a fly on the wall or had time t Abel powers, you'd be surprised who does care and actually does anything about it, because the way 'normal' society works is that so long as people seen to be caring, it's someone else's problem to deal with. I call them compassionate hypocrites.

best of luck today, but remember you are the most important person now, not everyone else, and use this opportunity to have a great future even if it feels pretty shitty in the short term.

We're here if u need to sound off.

Please send it. I am sad to read how much this is hurting you, you do matter and although this is a hateful situation you are doing the right thing and the best you can do to look after yourself. Really hope trainspotter has some fairness on side too. () aspie virtual hug.

I've written and re-written my email to the solicitor. I've included my autism diagnosis report, evidence of management falsification of documents and the photo I took of the writing on the whiteboard because someone wrote they were proud they hadn't killed me. My problem is I care about others so much more than myself and don't have a care about money but know I have to be realistic which makes me feel so overwhelmed. 

I haven't sent the email as I'm not 100% with it. My depression has intensified due to the situation I've been put in and spent most of the day in bed again trapped under the duvet. It is going to be a long night but I will press the send button for this email.

I hope your situation resolves itself Trainspotter

I am a union rep as well as being autistic.

And i am going through the same as you apart from I actually hate the company and what it stands for - but that is another story!

Regarding severance pay, that will have all sorts of conditions attached to stop you talking about it to other people and rocking the boat.  It was introduced as a way of getting rid of people without the expense and inconvenience of an industrial tribunal.  Basically, they want to dismiss you and are on a bit of shaky ground.

But if you refuse this payment, the payment in an industrial tribunal will be far less even if you win.  They will say they offered you so much and your refused, that your performance was not satisfactory and all the usual bull. 

However ... this does not mean they can discriminate against you.  Discrimination cannot be 'bought off' and I believe even if you accepted the money you may have a case under the equality act in an industrial tribunal for the company to award you extra compensation, this would preferably be before you accept an offer for leaving but it should be possible even if you have ... and this can be increased from the normal amount because they have not followed ACAS guidelines.  You need legal advice over this and your union should be able to put you in touch with the union solicitors who specialise in such matters (this should be included in your union membership and you will not pay nor will they take any money from your award).

Check up your union online and see what solicitors that your membership would include for members - my union uses Thompsons - and ring them on Monday first thing.  You should be able to get some immediate advice from them.  The solicitors will be a specialist. Explain you are autistic, that you have some problems with social understanding etc, etc, 

And I cannot believe that your rep thinks your autism has nothing to do with it - I assume your company is aware of your autism?  Your autism is everything to do with this, it is a mental impairment as recognised by the Equality Act 2010 and the firm should make 'reasonable adjustments'.  And what is reasonable is not for the firm nor you for that matter to decide.  Ultimately it is for an Industrial tribunal to decide.

Don't be under any misapprehension over any of this.  They will try to find a way to dismiss you if you refuse the payment  And it is the firm that is offering you the payment, however much you enjoy working with them they are treating you in an utterly deplorable way.

I hope it all goes well for you.

In my case I am being offered an inadequate sum of money especially since my age will make it unlikely to get a job.  Just when I am at the age when I should be able to be looking forward to my retirement with having paid off my mortgage, (which would be in two years at current rate) I am offered a payment which could mean my residence is repossessed. 

Such is a caring company as they like to think of themselves

In the early hours of this morning, I sat with two packets of ibrobrufan, other tablets and a bottle of vodka. I DID NOT take them but sat for hours contemplating taking them because I am overwhelmed. I have an extension til 6pm Monday and have a meeting with a solicitor which looks like it could just be a telephone call but I'm hoping for more. CAB was not able to help because I have a Union but my union rep is telling me bluntly I have to make a decision skirting the issue of my Aspergers. It is a mess and I'm totally overwhelmed. 

That's true, we are.

Follow the path, and you'll be fine, and although you feel alone, you really aren't. We're all rooting for ya.

Well done and good luck, you can do it, as Ellie said elsewhere, sometimes we have to be our own lions.

I've got a meeting with DASH an Autism charity tomorrow at 1:15 pm so fingers and everything else crossed. 

I really hope you can follow some of Chewie and Jedders advice. If nothing else can you get to the CAB, or ring the NAS helpline, you need someone on your side. 

I've been a further failure today and failed to get out of bed for most of today. I haven't left my flat and had a few hours sleep here and there but I feel completely exhausted, overwhelmed and so alone. 

Hang on, are they raising  grievances because you've been ill?

if you haven't already, seek legal advice. Thing is when work wants to get rid, they will, only question for them really, is how much it'll cost them, and they will offer you what they think they can get away with. Anyone with any employment law knowledge may know otherwise.

I don't know what to do or where to go. I can't afford a solicitor and the company isn't the problem it's the dishonesty amongst a few and a lack of understanding of Aspergers that has got me to where I am now. I feel like I'm stood on an edge of a cliff being nudged ever closer to the point of no return. I tired of the lies and ambiguity and I know I'm no John McCain but I can't walk away from colleagues who are not autistic but face problems like I do in the workplace. Why should the antagonist continue to work in a place I love and I have to leave???