Hello!

Hi there,

I thought I'd start here as a way of introducing myself. I'm a 25 year old woman and although I've had my diagnosis (high functioning ASD) for a few years now I've not really joined anything like this. I think it's because I was still in denial and thought that with enough camouflaging I'd be able to 'hide in plain sight' - which as I now understand is not that unusual, particularly with women and girls. 

I've just been signed off from work with stress, and I think I need to ask my employer to make a reasonable adjustment to my conditions of employment (shorter working day, unambiguous description of tasks). I've only been working there for two weeks so I'm not sure how they're going to take it. Does anybody on here have any experience of asking an employer for reasonable adjustment? What did you ask for and how did it all go? 

  • That's quite shocking and I wonder if what they are doing is actually legal? I would think you have a very good case for challenging what they are saying.

    As far as I understand, the Equalities Act obliges businesses to make adjustments but only if they are reasonable i.e. the impact on them is reasonable. If they state that it's not, they would have to explain why and if an independent opinion (judge? tribunal?) agreed then they simply wouldn't be obliged to do them. To suggest that you resign seems wrong?

  • This is all really interesting to read. I received an email from my employer yesterday (I'm signed off sick so should they be contacting me at all?) basically saying it would be better for me to resign as they can't afford to make reasonable adjustments that I would need to stay healthy. I don't see how reducing my hours or arranging for me to do a jobshare costs them much, if anything at all! They are a private school charging god knows how much per term- it's a drop in the ocean really. 

    What really annoys me is that it is a school designed around the needs of pupils with additional needs, ASD included. It is hypocritical to state that they are inclusive and individual when they can't make simple adjustments so an employee with ASD (and a lot of experience working with such children) is denied an opportunity to work for them. People only seem to want to acknowledge and exploit my strengths and not support me through my weaknesses. 

    Thank you all so much for your advice, experience and examples - It's given me hope where I was thinking I was limited to a life working casual, low paid jobs that I am frankly overqualified for. 

  • That's about it really, and for me underlines the point that reasonable adjustments that are needed are often not really as big an ask of an employer as we might imagine. Once my management understood that I work better at my desk than in meeting rooms and that not everything I'm good at is good for my mental health, it was all quite straightforward. The biggest stress for me was daring to ask, because everyday expectations and norms are very reasonable for most people and that is so easy for us to internalise (over many decades!) and interpret *our* needs as *un*reasonable, when actually, they are *reasonable*.

    Everyone knows now that I prefer a webex and advance notice to discuss whatever topic, and it works well. In fact, others have said that because of me they have come to appreciate just how much can be achieved in a Webex without needing to travel, so I've actually contributed to the efficiency and green credentials of the team!

    For unrelated reasons I now have my own single-occupancy office, so I no longer have to cope with an open plan office that was literally like trying to do complex analysis work in a busy pub on a Friday night. But that does make me wonder why I daily burn fossil fuel to leave one quiet space (home) and drive to another one (work). So I'm kind of thinking that permanent home-working might be a longer term goal.

    God of Reasonable Adjustments :-) thanks.

  • It was great!   The others were so lazy that the start time was 8am - they'd get there for 8:20 and chat in the tea room until 9am - then by the time they'd gassed some more and booted their computers it was 10am - tea time!   They'd get back around 11am so maybe start work at 11:30 - fart about a bit and then it's lunch.

    I'd be in at 5am - the night-man loved it - he was out the door 2 seconds later - 1 1/2 hour early - so he was home before the traffic started - I could get on in peace and I'd be out the door at 12:30 - some days I never saw or spoke to anyone.  Smiley

  • Genius. Slight smile

    I love bunnies. Rabbit2

  • I hated commuting - I managed to get my work to agree to let me start work as early as I liked - I could be in at 5am so I'd be finished by lunchtime - and as I worked mainly on my own and I hated interacting with the others, that really suited me - my journey to work was only about 12 minutes and I saw more rabbits than cars!  Smiley

  • I hated train commutes as well (or any transport really, especially during rush hour).

    9 hour days are really long, and I would find that utterly exhausting too.

    I have habitually limited my hours to only what I'm contracted for, and still encountered burnout - and now have reduced my hours to 30 per week (which I love, and am very grateful to be able to afford!).

    A great suggestion, thank you!

  • Basically I now do all meetings by webex and don't do teambuilding-type stuff.

    That sounds like heaven to me. You are literally my God of Reasonable Adjustments.

    I only disclosed my Asperger's to my first employer, which came a few weeks after I was diagnosed, and they asked me loads of questions that I couldn't answer because I was still in the early stages of reprocessing my whole life. Having burned out yet again, I now realise I need to start declaring it and asking for adjustments like the ones you mention here. Are there any other adjustments you have? I think primarily communicating by email, working from home etc., would also help me enormously.

  • I constantly forget that we have profiles here ...... I wrote one for myself but still forget that anyone can look at it, and forget to read other peoples!

  • Not a problem. Ask questions when you like and we will respond with our best advice.

    Since I finished full time education, I have only managed to attain one paid job. That was for 15 hours a week on a nine month temporary contract. Before that, I did do a couple of voluntary work placements for DWP and my county council.

    I like visiting gin distilleries and micro-breweries to sample the tipples on offer.

  • No problem. It depends on the employer of course (I work for a large corporate who play the long game as far as staff are concerned & have a good approach to diversity and medical needs) but the law is on your side.

    I'm not surprised you find 9 hour days exhausting. I have habitually limited my hours to only what I'm contracted for, and still encountered burnout - and now have reduced my hours to 30 per week (which I love, and am very grateful to be able to afford!).

  • Hi, thanks, that's really encouraging. I've been signed off for a week with stress so hoping to get something in place before I go back. I just can't cope with rush hour tubes and 9 hour working days while trying to live some semlance of a life..! 

  • Thanks so much for the advice. I've struggled to cope and hold down jobs and this is pretty much the best job offer I've had. I noticed on your profile that gin is one of your interests- me too! 

  • Hi, yes I did. I had a good result, and got reasonable adjustments agreed (if not all implemented!) before I got my formal NHS diagnosis. Basically I now do all meetings by webex and don't do teambuilding-type stuff.

  • May I also add, it's always nice to meet other academics on here.

  • Hello and welcome to the forum! I have been diagnosed with Level 2 ASD. Feel free to ask any questions and read my profile.

    I personally have not had to ask an employer for adjustments. My last term of employment ended long before I was diagnosed.

    Since you have had your diagnosis, you should inform your employer because, it would be within their policies to ensure that your working conditions are suitably adjusted for you. Try not to worry about it. I'm sure that they will be absolutely fine with you asking. I am also sure that you are not the only one there with the condition, and they will have made similar adjustments for others.