Employmet and AS

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I want my current employer to be aware of my AS, but I am not sure about how to go about this. Any suggestions? Also, there are other people that I work with that should know I am AS, and again, not wure how to go about this.

I would make a point of emailing the boss and adding both a trade union rep and myself to the "CC" field of the same email, plus adding a read receipt. That way, he or she will know that you have kept a retrievable record which you will be able to cite in any future action. After sending it, forward it from your work email address to your private email address and make sure that is externally backed-up.

I am not too worried about it causing harm to me, as my employer prides itself in having a diverse range of employees, this includes people disabled in any way, and people of all races, and even a mennonite. It is just that I am the first (I hate this term) mentally disabled person at this location, as far as I know, and it would probably be in my best interest for them to know how to better work with me. I work the till, and I hate it, but it pays better than minimum wage while I work my way through school, and the field I am going into is filled with not quite normal people. I told one of the people I work with once that I am disabled, she looked at me and said "no you're not"... I didn't like where that was going so I went with the adhd I also have... People are generally more accepting of that. Either way, the coffee shop I work at is unionized, so I am not too afraid of what might happen. The union works us harder than the management does just so we have a good name for ourselves if something does happen.

Why not say you have a developmental disability/disorder?

Maybe bring a sheet or a card with basic information when you explain about your AS? Something that doesn't sounds too scary and fits your AS.

For whatever reason, it helps most people to hold something in their hands and read a couple of sentences when they listen to some sort of explanation.

don't do it.

no one is irreplaceable and there will always be someone who's at least as good as you minus the disability.

AS is not a mental disorder, it's neurological.

I would just go and tell him, if like you say the employer has a reputation for being diverse like you said then there is nothing to loose!

Last edited by DeLoreanDude on 05 Jan 2009, 1:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.

In Canada we have this thing called equal opportunity employment, I had one job where my employer knew about my AS and wanted to get rid of me, but couldn't simply because I was AS and it looked good to the government to be able to have an AS person working for them. Only reason they wanted to get rid of me was I was going through some rough times about half way through my employment with them. I reapplied to them later for a seasonal job after I left, and it was suggested to me that they had already finished their hiringm although this wasn't true. I was lucky though, it just wasn't in my personality to give them a real reason to fire me. They just didn't want somneone who was emotionally confused and a little unhappy with life at the time. If I were to go back and get the job again, they would have no problems with me and actually want me there, just as my current employer does. Anyways, if I could even suggest that I lost a job because of a disability, the labour board would get involved, and that is the last thing any employer wants, especially if it is because of not following equal opportunity employment. Equal opportunity emplyment actually gives benefits to companies with people who are minority groups, or so I have heard. My dad is a business owner and he actually says that based on labour laws in Canada, letting an employer know I am disabled in Canada would actually help me get the job, just don't put it on the resume, as it is a thing for the job interview, specificly when they ask: Is there anything you would like to tell us, or any similar question. I can just never bare to tell other people about it.

I told one of my roomates about AS yesterday, and he found it actually explained some of my oddities and was fairly accepting of it. He is also a visual minority (he is first generation Canadian Asian), so that might have been part of it, although at this school the Asian students vastly outnumber every other group, even though the city is primarily white.

He is protected by the ADA. You can tell your boss you need to talk to him, then show him a note from your Doctor. He might want to know what it means and what you expect from him, personally.
Oh wait, you're in Canada. Does Canada have a disability act like the American's With Disabilities Act?

What is really the difference between a mental disorder and a neurological disorder? For all practical effects, a neurological disorder is nothing more than an innate mental disorder.

DON'T DO IT.
this may be a "theory of mind" issue, where you may not be able to fully grasp the employer's reaction or perception or "take" on the info you give him re: you r AS. My eldest sister has been helping me with this VERY SAME issue in the art scene, which is my career field. She is NT and she has said to me, time and time again ...."you think you can put info out there in a naive way and with a nice attitude becuase you think it is the "right" thing to do. And i see people USE it against YOU all the time. stop doing it. You get hurt hurt, but you are not grasping how cruel people can be, and how it is linked to what you give them to feed on!" she has been great for me. I am realising just how much i am lacking in understanding in terms of how others think and perceive things.

There is a connection between naive overdisclosure and the bullying or misinterretations we receive.

jsut remember, most people will simply hear teh work "autistic" and equate it with malfunction, incompetence, and unfortunately retardation. and they are not going to go home and avidly swot over the fact to find out what their employee has to cope with. You are expendable. harsh. but true.
I am learning slowly at 46 to refrain from blurting everything out to everyone.
really, please do not do it. for your own sake.

Last edited by millie on 05 Jan 2009, 6:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Agreed.

Once you notify your employer of your condition, he/she can still have you fired for other reasons, even if he/she has to set you up in order to do it.

Or, in many states, the employer is free to fire any employee and not state a reason for it. As long as such employers don't imply that a disability was invovled in the firing process, they are in the clear.

... and you're on the street.

You say you want them to know how to better work with you.
Why not just explain with them the specific things that may cause difficulty as they crop up? Ie I work in the deli section of a supermarket, if they wanted to teach me something new to do I would say that I will most likely forget a long string of verbal instructions, either show me or write it down, or if there is not enough time/its impractical for them to go out of their way to do that, let me come back and quickly clarify how to do the next step every 5 minutes.

As a general rule, the world is not an expert on autism. A lot of people won't have an open mind to it and will assume you are stupid. Only tell people if they are a) very close to you or b) they need to know

If you know of the condition and have the evidence of diagnosis to back up your claim but do not disclose it, you will be defenceless when anything happens. The employer will be able to plead ignorance without even having to bother about giving other reasons for dismissal or working conditions.

From my own considerable experience I would never ever let an employer know that I was autistic. It gives them almost limitless power to get rid of you. If you think the disabilities act protects you think again as AS and even autism in many states is not considered to be a disability to begin with (unless you want a drivers license). It is considered a liability and a danger to the company and coworkers since you might blackout, have fits, fall asleep operating machinery, not understand verbal instructions and the list goes on. Ask the lawyers how dangerous we are.

My advice is not to say just "Asperger's" and leave him hanging. He will probably go to the Internet, land on the Autism Speaks site, and think you are incapable of learning. (Happened to me.)

I think it's better to be really specific about what Asperger's means for you. For example, things like, "I prefer e-mail to phone calls." "I have trouble remember people's faces." "I sometimes have trouble blocking out some sounds in order to concentrate, which is why I wear earplugs." "I don't get most of the hints people try to give me. I'd prefer to just be told outright."

*High five* We have that in Australia too. I can never get passed the job interview though.

I'm with Callista. If you do tell your boss give a good description of AS and if possible have the person who diagnosed you write him a note.