Advocates for AS Adults that are Discriminated Against

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I feel there is a real need for advocates for AS adults who are discriminated against in the workplace.

There are many advocates for children to make sure they get a proper education, as is their right, but Autistic employees have a right to fair working conditions, too, do they not? There are so many of us that could/would be working right now, if we were given the accommodations that are rightfully ours under the ADA (American Disabilities Act).

The only accommodation that many of us need is a little respect and UNDERSTANDING, which would cost businesses absolutely NOTHING. If they could just see that they would have in exchange, a very loyal, honest and hard working employee that could benefit the business in many ways instead of looking at a person that has difficulties in social situations and may have sensitivities to certain sounds and lighting.

My son and I have had a very hard time maintaining our employment because some managers/other employees misunderstand our ways. It got very bad for my son last year (he almost lost his job) because the UNION and other employees thought he was "kissing up" to management, because he always tried to do above and beyond what was asked of him. He was tipped off (by a manager) that they were trying to get him fired. How shocking! I always thought the union was there to help people in the fight against discrimination, I guess the rules change if you're autistic.

I stepped in and sent a professional but very angry letter on behalf of my son, to the union, telling them of my son's dx and informing them that my son had disclosed his dx to his managers, also. I informed them that my son had a right to be accommodated by law, under the ADA and that all he wanted was a little understanding. I also sent the union a guide on various traits my son had (and that many autistic adults have) explaining that he was definately not going to be the last Autistic they would have the opportunity to work with and told them I expected his disclosure to be treated as confidential. I hinted to an Autistic Advocate group that would be watching this matter but did not let them know that this group only had two members, so far. Those members are my son and I.

It worked - they have backed off with their harrassment but I feel we need to Unite Together, so we can keep harrassment and discrimination against Autistic Adults OUT of the workplace. Does anyone know of an existing Autistic Advocacy Group that stands up to businesses and unions that choose to harrass and discriminate against us in the workplace?

I feel that there's a great need for this to happen. I had a Job Placemant Officer who thought I couldn't read or write very well, just because I was in a Job Preperation programme and there was a mixed bag of high-functioning and low-functioning students in my class. Even though I have the ability to read novels in a week, she presumed that I was more disabled than I really am. As a result, I was stuck doing the most simple, most repetitive tasks in the Factory that I was working in. The people there didn't do much to try and keep me there. They were the breed of people who had those sirens in their heads that when off, whenever they heard the words, Autism or Asperger's. My boses also pretained to the myth that everybody who's on the spectrum enjoys a lot of repetition, and they don't like changes of any kind. As a result, I was stuck turning garments, trimming and taping zippers with double sided tape for three years, straight until I quit that very menial job due to health problems. I would have called on advocate for this very purpose, if there were any available. I think this is a very good idea.

I think I now understand why the words “autistic advocate” is thought to be something to be avoided by autistic adults. I could not understand why this was not well accepted when I brought up the idea of having autistic advocates to help give us back-up and support in the workplace, but now I understand.

You see, when you are an African American and you are discriminated against in the workplace, you can call the NAACP and they come to your aid. They hate discrimination as much as you do and mostly because they have felt the ugly grasp of prejudice, too. They work for you, not against you, believing you when you say that you have been wronged. The same is true for Women Advocates against harassment in the workplace. They do not treat you as if you are misunderstanding intentions of your boss or co-workers or make you feel as if you have done something to cause the harassment and discrimination. Do you see where I’m going with this?

Autistic Advocates should consist of (the majority of, at least) other adults on the spectrum and not of people that have no clue as to what types of harassment and discrimination we go through on a daily basis at work and at school. Autistic Advocates should give a little muscle or strong backing to the autistic person that feels he or she is unfairly being reprimanded on the job for traits that are very autistic in nature. If an employee is doing their job, they should not be talked down to or forced into situations that are just too uncomfortable or seem unnecessary to the job they are required to perform.

An Autistic Advocate should ALWAYS take the side of the autistic individual and NEVER ask the autistic person to “just try harder” to be a little bit more like the neurotypicals employed with the company. It is not up to the Autistic person to bend over backwards to inwardly change his or herself to accommodate the social aspects of the workplace but it should be up to the business and managers to create a safe and neuro-diversely friendly (not hostile) environment for any employee that has physical, racial, sexual or neuro-differences so that all will be able to thrive and work towards a successful partnership with the workplace. You might think that a business shouldn't have to change for it's employees but I think that this is happened many times before (for minorities, women, diverse religions and physically challenged) so why not for autistics, too? The workplace is ever changing in an ever changing world anyway.

We should start our own much needed not-for-profit Advocacy businesses. Hiring our own people and thus, lowering the percentage of unemployed autistics in the process.

Monastic:

First, repeat after me "The Union serves its own interests, not the interests of its members!". Again, "The Union serves its own interests, not the interests of its members!".

I was forced to be part of a union when I worked for Tops markets in New York (the UFCW). I still remember my boss threatening me because I was in the middle of a meltdown (actaully, what happened to me that day could have had the store fined big time if the labor department got wind of it). The problem was that my boss was the union steward as the store and therefore would not have defended me against my own actions.

Another thing you may be able to do is check out the laws in your state of residence regarding closed shops. If you are in the southeast, closed shops are illegal. That means that your son does not have to be a member of the union in order to work there.

If you are in a state that allows closed shops, then your son is going to have to suck it up. He does have some options though. Option one is to give the union as little money as possible. If the union cajoled your son into giving money for political activites, then he should revoke that permission. That is illegal in all states. In fact, the only monies your son should have to pay are for Union dues, strike fund, and union based benefits such as health care. Anything else is optional.

I do agree that there should be a group that is made up of persons on the spectrum for persons on the spectrum. Right now, most groups regarding autism are made up of NTs (mostly parents), some of whom cannot believe that a person on the spectrum can even hold down a job let alone advocating for that person.

Hi ljbouchard,
Oops, I suppose it does seem like the same old spiel that I've been giving concerning my son and his place of business (things are going a wee better with that situation) but really, I've noticed that this problem is not uncommon for autistics in general.
I have thought for a long time about trying to start (or helping start) some sort of grassroots project here in Indiana for other autistics and I just like to hear any suggestions or comments that others have concerning this idea.

Heaven knows there's enough money pouring out for autism research, cure and program development for children. Surely the government would have a little bit to spare for readying young adults just starting their work careers and older adults that are either having difficulty in their present jobs or looking for employment while also educating businesses on the positives of hiring an AS individual.

I have wrote and emailed many government officials concerning this idea and so hopefully it's in their mind a bit more than "curing autism" will be.

Autistic children do grow up to be autistic adults, that's a fact that they have to face and allowing us equal opportunity to employment will also help us to become independant, productive tax paying citizens so it is in their best interest, too. I cannot stand the thought that so many highly intelligent autistics are unemployed and underemployed, not by choice.

Wonder if there might be grant money for this sort of thing.
Maybe when I feel better (a little ill right now) I will look into it.

Neuroman,

There might be. I do know that in Minnesota, the Autism Society has a grant program that grants funds to various organizations that assist persons on the spectrum. This may be the sort of thing you are talking about?

Neuroman, I'm sure you could find grant money for this sort of organization. I have seen even government/educational grant money offered that could be used for this sort of thing. My only problem is I have Ideas and am willing to help with such a project....but my organizational skills are nil - I just don't know how to start organizing such a project. But I can't give up on the idea.

Some autistics are very good at organizing such a project but maybe do not like to work with others one on one or perhaps cannot do some other aspect of this project.

I think we all have our strengths and weaknesses that seem to keep us from being able to begin such a task but if many, together start an organization such as this, we could each find the thing that we do best;

Someone to print out educational packets for businesses.

Someone help obtain grant money or funding.

Someone to help with fundraising.

Someone that could be a Mentor to a young person just starting out in the workforce, perhaps helping them to write their first resume.

Someone that another autistic could call if they were having a particularly bad day at work - it helps sometimes to talk to someone about something upsetting you at work - someone that can perhaps give you advice, moral support or feedback.

Someone that is good with numbers to help with the "not for profit" part of the business.

Artists, writers (for educational packets and such), those that like to help others, those good with numbers, even those that like to keep up with workplace laws and discrimination rulings and those good with keeping statistics.....all of these things could be put to good use.

Autistics helping other autistics to find their place in the world, to me sounds so much better than neurotypicals telling us what we should do and trying to change us into what we are not.

This is a dream that I would like to see become a reality...If I can find a way to start up a program like this in Indiana, I will do it. If others could start a program like this in their own area, a grassroots program like this, eventually/hopefully it could spread out among other states or perhaps countries.

I do not know of anything such as this so far, that is run by autistics for autistics.