Aspergers and Employment

[Richard Halfhide]

Hi

 

I hope somebody can help me. I'm a journalism student writing a feature about ASDs and employment, and would be keen to hear about the experiences of people with Asperger's and how it's affected them in finding working and/or progressing in a career. Depending how it works out I may try pitching the finished article to one of the quality papers (i.e. Guardian/Times/Independent/Telegraph).

 

The National Autistic Society (who've been very helpful in providing me a lot of supporting material) estimates that only 15% of people with a diagnosed ASD are in fulltime employment. If you're amongst those who are in work then I would like to know:-

 

1. Did you inform your employers of your condition beforehand?

2. How supportive have you found them, or not?

3. What kind of job do you have?

4. Are you currently receiving any benefits?

 

I would also be keen to hear from anybody who has experienced difficulty in finding work.

 

If you do decide to comment (or send me a message) it would be appreciated if you're willing to provide your name and age so that I can quote you in the article.

 

I hope nobody will feel my posting here is unwelcome. I do have a genuine interest in leaning about this subject, not least because I may have some form of mild ASD myself. Thanks for your time.

 

Richard

[bid]

Hi Richard,

 

If the mods have ok'd this, I'm happy to help

 

I have a dx of AS and am in full-time employment. I have had a very positive experience.

 

Bid

[NobbyNobbs]

i have a dx of AS and am unemployed. i have been since i left university about 17 months ago. i have applied for lots of jobs, including some that i know i was more than qualified to do, but have never got past go. i've had several interviews, one that was only because it was a council job and they were legally required to interview me (the job centre phoned them and reminded them of this fact when i didn't hear back. they claimed the letter was lost in the post ), one for the same job role i had done as a 16 yr old christmas temp but in a different store of the chain. i didn't get either job although both said i interviewed well.

 

ive had summer jobs through university and 6th form. i worked for 2 years in a small family owned jewellers and loved it. when i left to go to university they said when i had started they were going to have to fire me because i was so withdrawn and didn't smile, but that when i got comfortable that improved and by the time i left i was better than any of their other staff. i was fired from my christmas job in yr 11 apparently because i didn't look like i was enjoying it. i also worked for the T supermarket several summers, but they took complete advantage of me, left me on my own on the tills at 11pm while the rest of the staff were out back gossiping etc. they then fired me while i was off sick with an ear infection. i came in to give them my doctors letter signing me off and they fired me

Edited December 12, 2009 by NobbyNobbs

[toby]

yeah i worked for 8 months for woolworths and no guesses as to what happend to that job. yeah i losty my job along with everyone else whnthe company went under and i loved it! damned annoyin gas well i was doing something i liked and getting paid. i did disclose the aspergers at the job interview and they didnt care the only difernece was they never had ballons up when i was working (i have sensitive haering as part of my diagnosis)

[Richard Halfhide]

Thanks to everyone who's replied so far, though I'd welcome more.

 

I'd be particularly interested to hear from anybody who decided for whatever reason not to disclose their condition to their employer and how that worked out for them.

 

 

[Tally]

I have not disclosed my diagnosis in my current job. I felt I would be able to cope with the job without any adjustments, and I also had a bad experience in my last job. There were many other reasons why it was the right decision not to tell, but now I get on well with my manager, we have become friends, and I feel like I am being dishonest in not telling him

[smiley1590]

i did inform my employer beforehand that i had AS on that may struggle to do daily living tasks required but would try my hardest to complete them anyway like cookin , etc my work is supportive and understanding of what i find hard and challenging they are pretty good as is hard to grasp as it CAN'T be physically seen!!!! and that if my work time rota changes my work mate texts or phones me and lets me know as much as possible to give me warning and they breal down tasks for me simple and try make instructions like that too!! which so nice of them to do so! my mum gets my DLA benefit i still live at home this helps clothes and feed me!!! as mums buys it all as i have no money concept really!

 

there certain things i keep away from my job which personal to me like my MH probs which linked to my AS anxiety can be seen physically more than depression but in some ways people can pick up on signs giving out to them! as disclosed poorly and immaturely in the past so try not to make the same mistake again! and walked out on one voluntary position as couldn't cope depression i think got too much pressure everything felt so guilty afterwards as they'd been so good to me treated well nice and this how i'd re pay them they knew 'everything' self harm etc accepting i feel so bad that's why i'm determined not to go 'wrong' again!

 

i do feel a a BIG amount of pressure to perform on work level as same as my NT work mates which puts me under lot of stress worry etc but i do that to myself perfection AS in me that is! so annoying yet it like an obsession secret within me craving to me 'one of them' as i feel a burden and like one of kids all at once it horrid feeling feel like they looking after me ..... worry constanty over that even though reassure me they not at all all in my head paranoid and anxious! probably right!

 

XKLX

[smiley1590]

my AS does become a problem with my job with lots of background noise struggle to hear what kids are saying to me when very noisy and loud painful and stressful to my head and head they both spin i get very anxious annoyed irratated ..... get frustrated as don't want it get in way ..... havn't told anyone at work this as want to be NT while there as much as possible! my AS does become dangerous when preparing snack etc when MH low i get very tired worn out energy runs low find hard to 'keep going' and mentally with it to carry on and function during the day when could sleep so at least work keeps me busy that also wears me out but don't sleep any better grrr.... you think i would with part time yet long hours involved ..... where am i going wrong .... find it hard speak up and say i'm having bad day or need help rather struggle alone......

 

also when i'm asked to do several different tasks at once i forget or get 'overloaded and overwhelmed' where feel myself getting stressed and anxious again ....

 

so when special event e.g christmas and my routine changes for day new members staff are needed agency or other unknown become quiet withdrawn etc

XKX

[smiley1590]

my name kirst-lou i'm 19 years old and i work in local nursery as nursery assistant i was bank staff and before that a volunteer on a fridays for 4 hours! bit long winded i know!

[Meethoss]

I've only been diagnosed with AS at the start of this month but have suspected for about 2 years. I've been employed since 3 months after leaving Uni in 2004. I've worked my way up through sheer stubborn-ness and have requested many pay rises to put me equal with peers or with what other jobs are offering. I'm very successful in my work, I feel through my character traits most of which are I guess caused by AS, and I'm more successful and get paid much more than any of my friends (more than double their salary in most cases).

 

I've not told anyone in work in a formal capacity (in fact I've only told 3 family members, and 3 friends), I have only told a work colleague who actually asked me if I had AS (at the time I told her I suspected it and once I was diagnosed I told her and thanked her because it pushed me to get a diagnosis). I'm not sure yet if I will formally tell either of my employers (I have two very good jobs and both are fighting over having me full time - I told you I was successful!) as I'm not sure if I will gain anything.

 

Reasons I may tell them:

 

- I'm very pedantic and they can be annoyed by this, however it makes me very good at my job and reduces risk to the company

- I talk in a lot of detail when it's not required or desired (can cause frustration and I'm asked to skip the detail)

- I can get very tired especially if I'm required to do a lot of socialising - this often makes it very difficult to wake up and get in to work at a reasonable time

- I'm very forgetful and have to make lots of lists - if I forget to make a list, or forget the list itself I will often forget to do something

- I tend to bump in to things a lot when walking around the office and sometimes feel a little stupid

- I struggle a lot in meetings to hear what is going on when too many people are talking at once

- I HATE phone calls and avoid them at all costs, often asking our receptionist to do them for me where it's appropriate - also with the sound, I struggle if anyone is making any noise to hear what the other person is saying and have asked people to be quiet before if they are talking (but I don't feel I can ask them to stop if they are making other noises)

- I play with things a lot on my desk, tapping, throwing and catching etc.

- I organise everything and hate mess and often impose this on others, but I recognise this and try not to

- I often easily lose my concentration especially in meetings and am sure that I've seen one of my bosses notice this on multiple occasions

 

Sorry, got a bit carried away there!

 

My reasons for not saying are much smaller - mostly I don't want to be discriminated against (although I don't believe this would be intentional as the main area of work is in providing emotional support) and also I don't want the strengths of my condition to go ignored because "he's being like that because he has Asperger's".

 

So all in all I've not decided yet whether I will tell anyone at work. What I'd actually like to know is if I inform them on an informal level does this mean I can ask them to not make an official record of this and also does it mean I can ask them not to tell a single soul? i.e. if anyone else knows it's because I tell them.

 

Also still undecided as to whether I should tell any more of my friends or not. I don't really know, any opinions appreciated

 

Hope that helps your study.

 

Steve

[Meethoss]

P.S. I'm 26, not sure if that matters.

[Meethoss]

P.P.S. I hope anyone doesn't think my intention by my post is to be arrogant (I get that a lot) - I just wanted to show that having AS doesn't mean you can't do anything and, in fact, you can achieve a lot because of it. So hopefully it will provide some sort of inspiration and also help the study.

[kerryt84]

Hi, my name is Kerry, I'm 25 and have been a teacher for about 5 years. If you do quote anything I say I'd rather my name be shortened to Kay or something.

 

I did not inform my employer when I got the job, but that's because I haven't got an official diagnosis. I'm in the process of getting a diagnosis at the moment. I did declare that I suffered from anxiety problems though, but this was on a health questionnaire and they haven't spoken to me about it. I am not recieving any benefits, but would not know if I was eligible for them.

 

I spent 4 years in my previous job and they were incredibly supportive. They didn't know about my issues, but of course over the years they got to know certain aspects of my behaviour. Because I was straight out of Uni when I started that job they helped me all the way and I managed to get into a management position by the time I left. I did find this very stressful though.

 

I am finding things a lot tougher in my new job. They are not very supportive and there is a very negative attitude amongst the staff. I love working with children and I find that you don't have to try and read them like you do with adults. On the whole children are bluntly honest and I don't experience the anxiety I always feel when communicating with adults. It's the adults I have problems with and because I try my hardest to hide my issues they never seem to realise. If you want more information in particular about being a teacher with AS then message me, because I could spend all day telling you the problems I have with it, lol.

 

Once I have a diagnosis I will want to tell my employer, because I feel I need more support. But I will worry this will go against me, and will seek advice from my union first.

[Meethoss]

FYI - I spoke briefly to my doctor today (during an appointment for something else) and he advised me not to tell my employer. He said I will likely find it will do more harm than good and could affect my career progression in the future.

[Gordie]

Check out the following Facebook group ...

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=193160909161

... not that I'm a member of it (an Aspie Facebook friend of mine is though), nor am I sure you'd be "eligible" to join (looking at the group description), but it's open to all, so even if you joined, read some of the contributions and left again, I expect you'd be fine.

 

James

[Little Boy Blue]

1. Did you inform your employers of your condition beforehand?

No - I have only just realised I have Asperger's. I am 60 and haven't been diagnosed and probably won't bother.

 

2. How supportive have you found them, or not?

n/a

 

3. What kind of job do you have?

I am a manager with staff of 10 in a govt department. I have only just been promoted and am finding it hard - almost out of my depth. I'm a better 'second in command'. I have poor comprehension and the advanced discussions these days flummox me sometimes. I don't know what to say sometimes, and often don't speak up anyhow due to lack of 'worthiness'. When given the chance to prepare for meetings I am much better - the structure helps enormously - but I am poorer when required to be spontaneous.

 

4. Are you currently receiving any benefits?

No

Edited January 2, 2010 by Little Boy Blue