I work in a job setting where I was placed by a not for profit work program in a job location. Every once a month, we have a job coach that comes in and checks up on us. However, she has proved to be a very negative and mean person to treats her clients like a half a person.
For instance, whenever I have told her what I am doing in my life, she often comes back with remarks about cutting this service or that service in the economy is going to get cut soon. She also has had a habit of coming up to me and calling me, "Little Miss Priss." Finally, when visiting she moves really close to her clients that is makes them feel uncomfortable.
So I recently had reported her for her abusive tactics and did so anonymously. Anyway, she showed up at work and I was automatically had an attitude with her. (She wears outfits and her hair ugly retro 80's style). I said, "Oh, my favorite outfit." She then was about to approach me when I by accidentally told her not to touch me when I meant to tell her not to stand so close. "Oh I am not going to touch you," she replied. I then apologized and mentioned to her that I have Asperger's Syndrome and do not like it when someone stands extremely close to me and that it was true for most people on the spectrum. "I will remember that." She then got really close to another one of her clients and then started telling her to smile and talking down to her. I then said, "I appreciate your concern but you just never know what is going on inside of a person. She is going to smile when it comes naturally to her." "Okay, I will remember that." She then moved onto the next client for a few minutes and left the room to speak to meet with my supervisor (A usually routine when visiting). However, she stayed for a half an hour and then left about a half hour before I left for the day.
Long story short, one of her other clients had been talking to another co-worker who I recently had been having problems with and evidently I talking to her almost made the woman cry.
How should I have spoken to this woman without making a fool out of myself?
10 May 2011, 10:10 pm
