Social Workers on the Spectrum-HELP!

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I looked for other posts before posting and although there were a few, they were very old. I have been a social worker on and off for a couple decades and got my ASD diagnosis about four years ago. I worked for the Division of Developmental Disabilities and that's when I learned about autism and began to suspect I had more in common with my clients, than my coworkers. As a general rule, I have never gotten along well with my coworkers. I did very well as a social worker because I got to know my clients personally and was praised for finding outside the box solutions.

Fast forward to January of this year, I took a job with Crisis Response, responding to crises in people's homes, which I thought I would like. I do like the job but I didn't realize I would be working as part of a 2 person team. I have been unable to succesfully work with any other person and have been moved around quite a bit. I notice that the people that I work with don't communicate anything that they are doing with me but become angry if I start working with a client and don't tell them something I hadn't even realized that they would want to know. I am currently in jeopardy of losing my job due to a poor evaluation, which stressed my poor communication. I finally decided I was not meant to work as part of a team but it is my only option now as I don't think I can find another job in this economy.

Any ideas on how I can succesfully work with a partner and keep my job? I have not disclosed the ASD.

Sorry I didn’t respond earlier.

Probably the best way is to keep it “strictly business.”

I work in the developmental disabilities field and I could not work for or with others either. And I tried hard. Now I have my own business and can run it the way I want. This has been effective and I am considered very good at my job by the clients we serve.

I tried almost everything to get along with a team, but was never successful.

Now, in my 20th year, I have two team members who work for me with whom I get along well. Both are OCD and one I think is probably aspie also. I have known one for almost 20 years and the other for a good 12 years or so.

I would suggest you look to see if your state has a privatized Developmental Disabilities Waiver program. You can set up your own business, run it your own way and as long as you do the job, fill out the required forms, meet the deadlines, etc. you can do the real work the way you think it needs to be done.

Good luck.

Talk with your team mate and supervisor. If you are thinking of changing anyway, what do you have to loose by disclosing your diagnosis and working on a solution?

I have worked with people before and can be very successful. Also, the wrong person is horrible. Personally, I think of teams as members with complementary skills that inform the work of each. Rather than a committee type of arrangement, where each is working on the same things at the same level--that is just too confusing.

I really wanted to keep this job (mainly because the benefits are unbelievable but I may to do something like that.
It's good to hear that you have been successful for so long.

You are right, unfortunately now I have another problem to deal with, my supervisor had written me up for "poor communication" in my evaluation and I contested it. Now I have a meeting scheduled for next week with my supervisor, her supervisor and possibly someone above her to discuss our communication issues. I am allowed to bring my union representative. My union rep reminded me that because I am still on original probation, they can fire me without cause or even a reason. ARGGG!! !! !!

I also spoke with a friend about the autism (she is one of the few, I have told) and asked her if I should mention it and ask for an accommodation or not mention it because they would just assume, it would make me unable to do the job. She said I should mention the ADD (I was diagnosed with ADHD without the hyperactivity about twenty years earlier and the Doc felt that there was also something else but I did not have time to pursue it) and start there with a request for accommodation. She said the bias against autistic people is still very strong and it could hurt my chances of keeping my job.

Since you are on probation, that make you very vulnerable, they could let you go without much cause.

I am not sure bringing in the union rep will be advantageous. The union rep is saying since you are on probation his/her hands are tied. Having the union rep there could potentially change the dynamics of the meeting to a hostile meeting.

I do not think bringing up the fact that you may be on the spectrum would be good at this time, because it might lead to questions about disclosing existing medical conditions on your original application form.

I think that expressing the following might help.

* I really like working with the clients and I am effective.
* I have communication problems and am willing to improve. I will take any advise or training to improve in this area.

One other comment. There are many people who are on the spectrum. Many do not even know it. But if you will look at peoples qualities, quirks and how they work, you might be able to find one. If you do, that is the one person you should try and team with. Aspies tend to relate better with other Aspies. We are just wired that way. Sometimes they appear as rejects in the group but some have a variety of hidden talents.

I have only found one other person that I thought may be on the spectrum and she has a partner (and only works one oe two days a week).

I agree that disclosing now probably would not help but the ADA also protects me from having to disclose, so I cannot get in trouble for not disclosing earlier. I am NOT required to disclose, even if I need an accommodation to do my job. I also have the right to request an accommodation for my disability without disclosing the disability. I just need a letter from a doctor stating that because of my disability I need it that it to do my job. (I worked as a civil rights investigator for several years.)

However, the rule is that you have to be ABLE to do your job with or without an accommodation, meaning if you have a disability that simply prevents you from being able to do the job (even with an accommodation) than you're not qualified. I don't want to disclose because I believe the prejudice against autistic people, would make them believe that I was unable to do the job, even with an accommodation and I don't have the energy to fight. I also don't have the energy to respond alone. The working environment is already hostile and I believe that happened before I spoke with the union, mainly because my boss does not like me.