Why are so many Aspies on here getting disablility income?

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No, it's discrimination, they want me to go through Goodwill over a non issue. They won't hire unless I go through Goodwill and i cannot even qualify for SSDI. It's impossible to get anyone to hire me otherwise. It's DISCRIMINATION PURE AND SIMPLE.
f**k, I have BEEN TO COLLEGE!! !!

It is just utterly ridiculous.

ProtossX,
ok/about the lfa topic.......though it's not as simple as to say 'one person with as can work-so they all can'.
some of the residents am used to live with were 'severe' aspies.
they had to be assessed by government doctors to say they were unable to work,and were significantly impaired [most of benefits actually goes towards residents care bills,as all in residential have to need day and night care to qualify].
one of them was so severely affected by challenging behavior,she often had to have two staff to herself,and could not go out the house much as she had that many tantrums,often due to changes,she definitely could not work.

there are lots of reasons why aspies may not work and get disability benefits-if they are not very functioning and/or severe,if they have some complex needs,if they have extra impairment related to their AS,if they have extra impairment unrelated to their AS,if they have severe challenging behavior,if they have severe sensory impairment,if they have severe problems around people or changes etc.
if feel so strongly about aspies getting disability benefit,why not speak to a benefit advisor person,and ask why they let aspies on it? maybe they are the most qualified to give an answer here?

I hear the frustration of many of you who don't understand hiring practices.

Having been part of the interviewing team, and voted on hires, I am wondering if you would like to hear it all from an employers perspective?

If yes, read on.

If not, don't.

1) Most work places are not only looking for a certain list of technical skills, but they are also looking for that indefinable magic that takes an ordinary employee and makes him a star. Drive, determination, "hunger" and, well, PERSONALITY. If someone comes in and doesn't show enthusiasm for or a sizable measure of interest in what the company does, they are not a great candidate. We were more than happy to hire "different" and "quirky," because most brilliant people are, but there also had to be a spark, an energy, that made us feel the person would be committed to the job and the company. Mind you, I knew nothing about AS then, I only knew what it took to be a success in our company. Why hire someone you don't think is a "fit," that doesn't have what you know management is looking for in it's top people? Someone who has low odds of advancing? You are NEVER, from the outside looking in, going to understand how we choose person "A" over person "B" because it wasn't evident from the resume, or from looking at that person, or anything else. It was something that came out in the interviews, that appealed to our instincts, and made us feel that person was right for this company. And, looking back, I can see how that would be dang difficult criteria for many (most?) AS to meet. It was, unfortunately, a very social expression type of thing.

2) Since our economy is service oriented, most employers are interested in how their employees will present to clients. We looked at clothes, grooming, language skills, etc. Weight isn't and should not be an issue if the person is dressing and presenting professionally, and has no medical reason to not perform the job. Again, factors that may fall in to the area of secret codes for many AS. It took me a while to learn them; I tanked my first interviews before I caught onto the game (overall, however, I would say I am NT).

Some of you may say that is discrimination and, maybe, as awareness of ASD increases, it will be. But it wasn't and usually isn't. It is people looking for what they believe will make their company successful, and the traits that mark their most successful employees. That it turns out those traits lower the odds for people who are AS - well, that is an area that companies could use some education in. But no one set out to create a list that by it's nature discriminated against people born with spectrum conditions.

ProtossXX, there is a large difference between not particularly "liking" your job, and being overwhelmed and stressed out by it, or exhausted to the point of not being functional. The posts in this thread have been from people who really could not cope. In a major way. As in, keep working there and meltdowns are likely to occur almost daily. That they quit instead of allowing that to happen (which surely would get them fired anyway) is a sign of self-knowledge. It is, in a way, exactly what my son is being taught to do so that he can exhibit functioning behavior every day, all day while in public at least: find the triggers, mitigate them, and when headed towards a melt-down, remove self to a safe place.

If you cannot identify with a meltdown that is out of your control, you have not had one of the essential internal experiences that seem, from my reading, to define AS.

We're lucky that it takes 4 to 5 years for my husband's (likely mildly AS) stress to build up in a situation to where he can no longer cope. And we're lucky his skills are well sought after, so the next job can usually be found. But I've seen him reach that point, and there is no return, it's quit or do something far, far worse. Imagine someone who cycles much quicker, who only has a month to trip. How do you explain that to the next employer? "You can have a few weeks of my skills but then I'll need to move on." Right. No will even grant an interview to someone who has changed jobs so much. At least with the cycle my husband is on, the employer gets some value before things go beserk. But beserk they DO go.

You don't understand because you don't wish to. Plain and simple.

When I was looking for a job, I had to wear nice clothes, look adult as possible, more professional because there are people who judge a book by its cover. Only way to get a job is if I dressed more adult. That's what we all need to to do in order to impress bosses when we are trying to get a job. Just put on a show until you get a job. Groom yourself, dress nicely, and look at them.

hey ProtossX, 10 pages!! ! pretty good

This is interesting
This too
So is this
And so is this
This too

There is more but don't have the energy to post it all, but this should give you an idea of what we are dealing with... he's scattering his dirt everywhere, sadly its here too.