I am trying desperately hard to return to my old field after having been fired from a job that I loved and held for 3 years with no problems, until they got a new director. I got right off on the wrong foot with her because I was having a very hard time in my life and immediately self-disclosed my autism status and asked for help. The others there mostly knew, but I'd told them over time, either out of necessity to explain away accusations of "erratic behavior" or just after I had proved myself capable of doing the job and blending in to some degree. I was put on leave while they ostensibly worked on ADA accommodations (this was supposed to be 2 weeks but turned into 2 months) and then ignored all of the accommodation suggestions I and the autism doctor made and had me instead sign off on what basically amounted to a behavior contract (you will not do x again). Then 3 months later, after I again sought help for issues outside of work, they fired me. It was an ambush, too - they'd called me a cab, had police escorts, brought my stuff from my desk and wouldn't even let me go back inside, saying I was never welcome on the premises again as if I was some kind of criminal. Keep in mind I NEVER hurt anyone, damaged anything, or even had meltdown like behaviors in front of clients (though it did happen out of view approximately 3 times in 3 years). Anyway, now I just had an interview for a great job last Wednesday and I thought it went amazing - they were scheduling me for a second interview in a rush, like they couldn't wait to hire me. I did skirt around the firing in the interview and say some half-truth about leaving because there was too much on my plate, making it sound like it could have been my choice. I was supposed to call back to confirm that I could get next Wednesday off for another interview. I called on Thursday, when I found out I could, and the number I was called from did nothing but ring, so I tried a number I found online and got only voicemails. I left one, but continued trying to call all day and never reached a person. Friday, same thing. This was (in large part) what led me to make my previous post wondering if my old job could have out-and-out blacklisted me. I still don't know if they called them and were told I was fired and shouldn't be hired again or some awful thing, though. Is there any reason I should NOT be worried? Could they not be screening my calls and ignoring me, and just really not be there?
05 Apr 2015, 12:49 pm
