How you deal about this?

Post Reply New Topic

This is non Autism related question.

Today I was at Centrelink getting my employment reporting online stream fixed up on my disability support pension. This guy was overly nice doing the customer service helped me to get it fixed otherwise I will get into trouble for not reporting my employment income.

After I finished the consultation with the lady after him whose discussed privately of what is going on with the online system. Then I saw this guy who helped me at the cafe inside the shopping centre next door. His face was bright and smiling at the person who give him a coffee. Then I approached to him on his way out to somewhere god's know where he intending to go. He is still in Centrelink's uniform. However he didn't look in my face when I say hello to him including kind words such as "thanks for your help". He didn't say a word at all. I initially thought he didn't hear what I said. Then I tapped on his shoulder while walking in same direction he is still not responding to me. I was like 'huh?'. Why he have to be ignorant and rude?

This pissed me off as a possible discrimination. Is this a possible stereotype towards Centrelink's clients, including people with disabilities?

In relation to above scenario, how you deal with the person you know you love is being rude to other people? How you say or react to the outcome?

In those type of Government jobs there can be rules in place which forbid all contact with clients outside of work.
It's a code of conduct and privacy of information thing.
They also have to be mindful of abuse from customers (it does happen)
He may well have been uncomfortable in that situation.
I know I would have been extremely uncomfortable in that situation if I were still working in my old job.

It was great that he helped you to sort out your problem.

Its actually rudest code of conduct. Very conservative, bigotry and stuck up attitude. As a client, I am a human being as well and I must be treated and respected equally as everyone else in a public place.

Here in the UK, government welfare employees are not allowed to socialise with clients outside of work. So I would assume it's the same in Australia.

Your judgment towards this man is very harsh and uncalled for. He is just doing his job, and is probably trying protecting his job. Given that he had just helped you with your issue in a professional capacity, being seen with you so soon after in a 'social' or 'personal' capacity can raise questions, potentially placing his job in jeopardy.

In that situation I would've just gone to their manager while I was there if it bothered me that much. Frankly though, people who are working are going to be a bit mean, best to not get your hopes up and think they'll be nice.

If it was someone I knew personally I'd probably just text them after being like wtf? But if it's their job to behave that way then they're just doing their job so you can't really argue with it.

Are you saying I am not protecting his job by just saying "Hello, thanks for your help". A response like "Your welcome" isn't a way to sack his job. That is way too harsh. That is passive-aggressive and bullying tactics by ignoring the public member.

He could lose his job.

Someone I know was severly reprimanded for posting on Facebook, "Had a bad day at work today."
That's it - no details of what happened or anything.
The Government is quite strict on employees in certain fields.
If it came to the choice of speaking to you and possibly losing my job, or ignoring you, I would ignore you.
That's just the way it is, I'm afraid.
Dont take it personally.

^ actually, a person I know was sacked for telling a client, "I used to go out with your father."

Another was sacked for mistakenly taking a $2 coin from a client.

A Centrelink employee can't even tell a client their last name.

This s**t is serious.

I think it's more like, they're moody gov employees that see a lot of annoying people from the general public every day so I wouldn't be surprised if they'd be an arse. Maybe they saw 40+ different people that day and got sick of talking. These places usually have targets to meet when it's government related though.

It could well be that they aren't allowed to say anything like Raleigh mentioned, so they're feared into saying nothing at all to people because they don't want to lose their job.