Anyone Know a Good Lawyer for Employees with Aspergers

Post Reply New Topic

Hi, I live in Northern California. My company clearly does not appreciate my straightforward style as a technical writer in my relationships with Product Managers. Technical writers are treated by Product Managers like nurses are by doctors. My bosses are clearly trying to do everything they can to get rid of me, and, at 64, it is hard to find a job. I can't afford to retire until I'm at least 70. After 6 1/2 years I finally told them I have Aspergers. In my opinion, they are completely inept at management (hypocritical, mean, lack of insight, no product knowledge, petty, unmotivational), and many PMs just don't want to be working on the doc, so it's hard. I recently had to go on the defense in my yearly review, but I want to line up a lawyer to be ready in case I need one. I've been in this career for 20 years (30, if you count many transferable skills from other jobs), and I've been there for 7 years. I'm actively seeking other positions, but it's challenging playing defense and doing a job search. I'm also getting some great counseling in work relationship skills. Finally found somebody really good!

I think Aspergers is the icing on the cake.

They want to get rid of you because..

1) too expensive, period.
2) do you get health insurance from them? Too expensive to cover you.
3) Your age. They know you can get Medicare at 65.

California is different from Michigan. Lawyering up here means you'll never work as a non contract employee again. My husband's Fortune 500 company actively gunned to get Boomers out. Because we are an at will state, they can dump you for any reason.

My husband got his diagnosis after 30 years in the company. How they got him out, since his Autism made him difficult to work in groups, there was no job for him since ALL jobs have a group component to them. Since he had a "no customer service" restriction for going back to work (answering phones was a very minimal part of his job), the company stated "we ALL deal in costumer service".

BE VERY CAREFUL ON YOUR ACCOMMODATIONS AND RESTRICTIONS. Those doctors notes can give their lawyers plenty of wiggle room to legally get rid of you. And it is nearly impossible to get your doctor to back pedal.

They couldn't fire him for having Autism, but ADA law say you are not legally required to create a new job for the employee. So...you can't work well in groups and handling clients, that is what our company does. We have no jobs for you be be alone for most of the day. The company threw him on disability, and is more than happy to pay him 80% of his salary to stay away. This almost killed him.

If I told you company he worked for, you'd do a near fatal eye roll. They make things.

We went through 3 different attorneys. What did my husband in was the work restrictions of minimal group work, and minimal phone work. Those do not seem like a huge, job stopping deal. It was enough legally for the company to justify placing him on disability.

Good luck!

I think that a general disability lawyer will be good enough. As far as the law is concerned, the difference between aspergers/autism and any other mental or physical disability is academic; a disability is a disability.

Thanks to both of you. I will keep both in mind!