Michelle Dawson wins her human rights case

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and I only find out about it by accident because I followed a link in another thread (to Anbuend's blog) and found it listed there.

Here's Michelle's blog:
http://autismcrisis.blogspot.com/2008/10/another-autistic-victory.html

She'd been an exemplary employee at Canada Post, until she told them about her diagnosis. They ended up firing her, and I think she had to go through the human rights tribunal three times to get a ruling. I know it was a lot of work for her (she didn't have a lawyer), but congratulations!

And is there somewhere else on the internet that is the place to go to get autism news like this? I think there is but am not sure where or what it is.

Woot! that's amazing! Glad this happened in Canada! I was thrilled to see that she managed it all on her own, and the ruling was made in her favour!

People are still very ignorant.

Is this what you're looking for?

http://autism-news-beat.com/

Or maybe this?

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2008/news/autism/

That's all I found.

Good for her!

This is precisely why, even if I get diagnosed, I will NEVER tell any employer about it. It's so surprising how much Canadian businesses trout how egalitarian they are, and encourage people with disabilities to apply for all types of positions.

And this was the GOVERNMENT people, the GOVERNMENT! This isn't even just declining to hire a person based on knowledge of a disability (which is considerably "safer", but still not ethical), this is outright FIRING of a person, solely based on disability (much easier to prove, and VERY unethical). A disability that this person has had all their life. It's not like she suddenly became incapacitated upon being diagnosed. If you aren't safe in a government position, then you aren't safe ANYWHERE.

I'm taking two Human Resource courses. In each of the cases that we've gone over in class regarding disability, NONE of them have been THIS black-and-white in favour of the employee. As a previous employee of the federal government, I'm ashamed that a government-run business would do this, I really am.

That's awesome; good for her!

Congratulations to Michelle

As for Katie_WPG: Your point is well taken.
I happen to work for an academic department
(Occupational Therapy) in a relatively progressive
setting (a university) where the professors are in a
position to put their beliefs about rehabilitation into
evidence-based practise. Otherwise, I would not be
so sure about my situation....

My son's AS diagnosis is school use only and, although we told we should have it confirmed by the medical profession, the potential employment and other discrimination issues are among the reasons we have not. Hopefully someday people won't have to factor that into their decisions on whether or not to obtain a medical diagnosis.