Discriminatory hiring process?

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Yep. The company didn't need to ask me to jump through hoops that are unnecessary.

They are discriminating against me because of a condition I have disclosed to them. They feel that because I have a condition, I must adhere to conditions that are not helpful and actually have an adverse effect.

It would not feel helpful to bring along a babysitter to a job interview. It would have the opposite effect.

You don't see the problem because you personally haven't been affected.

According to the correspondence:
I'm delighted to tell you we are currently hiring for an entry-level position and would like you to come in for a chat.

Please note that it's important you have your guardian (not in a legal sense but a trusted person who you turn to for support and one we can regularly correspond with in case your employment with **** is successful) with you during our conversation.

I believe you are overthinking the requirement as it sounds like you could ask a senior work colleague or family member to be your mentor in the capacity of "guardian" in this instance. My daughter who is 19 does volunteer work in various businesses while she is attending community college. the businesses have our contact details in case she gets stuck on something, paperwork or some other detail where the business can call us and we can talk to her. the arrangement is only meant as support which helps the worker and the business who are trying to do the right thing.

I wonder if perhaps the business/organisation you applied to have a specific kind of autistic worker in mind who (like my own child) have capacity to do the job but need a support person.

Yes, perhaps they (the business/organisation) should have specified in the job advertisement the type of person whom they wanted to give the job to. You are clearly capable of getting a job elsewhere if you are 40 and self-sufficient and independent. Why are you obsessed/upset with this organisation? your complaint is only going to dissuade them from hiring autistic people in future. Please leave them alone, its already hard enough for autistic people to find work, if you consider yourself independent and not needing a support person then I am sure you will do better to expend your energy on job searching and finding another job. Your complaint is not actually helping anyone including you.

Like the other poster said, you don't seem to understand.

Look at it this way: In addition to working for myself, I've worked for over a dozen different employers in my life.
I've never, ever needed any assistance in an interview.

Why all of a sudden would I agree to have a babysitter brought along with me for an interview when I didn't need one?

It's ridiculous and that's why I told the company absolutely not.

My complaint actually does help me in a number of ways. Not only do I put the company in a position to re-evaluate their hiring process, but I create an opportunity for myself where I can potentially receive monetary compensation for the discrimination (lost income) and I stand up for my rights.

It's a win win situation for me.

Also, I'm not obsessed with the company at all. I'm not in contact with them. I just am interested to see how the complaint pans out.

You seem to think I should accept their decision and go away. There are laws against discrimination. This opportunity could have worked for me because I live close to the business and could have been working for the last few months if they were more reasonable and open minded.

Why would I leave it alone when it was an opportunity to earn income? You are correct that people with autism have difficulties finding work. That part I agree with you.

I don't take my own income/work lightly. A job is a serious opportunity. The fact the company offered me an interview and potential to earn income can't be taken for granted.

You seem to think that just because I live on my own I should easily be able to find another job. It's not easy at all.
I have nothing to apologize for. I'm not even self sufficient really - I survive on benefits. I've had jobs in the past but actually haven't held a position since 2018. That's a long time.

The company actually may be required to apologize once the complaint proceeds.

Also, you are entitled to your opinions, but I don't see why you are so invested in this scenario because it doesn't affect you at all, nor do you have any influence on the outcome.

Sure seems like you're trying to get something for nothing. What else would you call trying to get paid for work you didn't do, from a company that you chose not to work for...?

Anywho, if making money were such a huge honkin' priority, I'da just complied with their request and taken the job. I don't need a guardian either, but I'da brought a friend in a heartbeat just to get to the next step.

Also, whether or not it's my income on the line might affect the gravitas of the situation, but it would not affect whether or not I'd be offended by the notion of a job program that specifically hired autistic individuals requiring someone to accompany me.

It really seems like you care quite a bit about what others think.

Do let us know what happens next though.

Yeah I can see you make a few valid points. May I ask if the selection criteria mentions anywhere the requirement to have a guardian involved in the selection process, interview or job prior to you lodging the application? If yes, then you won't see a cent in compensation. If no then I think the worst a court will do is force the company to change its hiring practices and/or force them to consider you in an interview. I don't know the structure of the working arrangement but the very fact they require a guardian means the nature of the work isn't mainstream and they are hiring special needs staff with skills so the discrimination rules may not actually apply the way you deemed them to be.