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Autumn78
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09 Dec 2019, 7:46 pm

Hello.
I'm wondering if anyone out there has experienced workplace bullying. I have high functioning Autism and I am a teacher. I'm also being mistreated by a few coworkers, who are supported by our admin. I feel a bit lost.
Any stories to share?



NeilM
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10 Dec 2019, 2:13 pm

Sorry to hear of your being bullied in an academic setting. How can those who are bullying you turn around and tell their students not to bully their classmates?

Sadly yes, I was bullied where I worked too. I am retired now and thankfully those days are behind me but hardly a day went by that I did not experience some kind of bullying from my co-workers. Fortunately most of my time was devoted to helping people in other departments so I was in my own department less than 25% of the time, less if I could manage it.

Having Aspergers, you are to be commended for just being in front of your class everyday. And then to be bullied by other staff members is deplorable. Is there an HR person you could take this up with? That's a double edged sword tho I know. In other words, going to HR could come back to haunt you later.


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Your neurodiverse (Aspie) score: 120 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 74 of 200
You are very likely neurodiverse (Aspie)

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Mountain Goat
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10 Dec 2019, 2:26 pm

Start naming names in front of the school governers? Be honest and truthful. Say you went through the official channel but nothing was taken seriously.
These days I have put up with so much in the past. Thankfully the last place I worked there was a great group of people. Sadly I could not cope and it has nothing to do with the staff or company this time, but the time before with the previous job I came under dreadful "Hidden" bullying where for 5 years I had been working for about half minimum wage because the bully had control of the payroll and I was forced to work a great many hours without overtime pay.



Sahn
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10 Dec 2019, 2:51 pm

People have tried.

Have you told them that its uncalled for and that you want it to stop? How have you handled it?



shortfatbalduglyman
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10 Dec 2019, 8:14 pm

Yes sometimes the boss or the Human resources is the bully.



NeilM
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11 Dec 2019, 8:27 am

That's it was in my case, my boss was the biggest bully of all.


_________________
Your neurodiverse (Aspie) score: 120 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 74 of 200
You are very likely neurodiverse (Aspie)

AQ = 38 MBTI = ISTJ Gender = Non-binary
I strive not to perseverate. You can PM me for more info.


shortfatbalduglyman
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11 Dec 2019, 9:45 am

Sometimes the recipient has a different definition of "bullying" than the defendant

Videotape

Glassdoor

Tell human resources department

Organize a strike

If that doesn't work, short of winning a civil lawsuit, you can't do anything about it

Civil lawsuits take a lot of time money and energy. The outcome is not guaranteed



nick007
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13 Dec 2019, 12:01 am

My mom's a retired teacher who had a problem with being bullied at her skewl. There was a major mold problem in her skewl & my mom's room was the worst. When she pressed the issue to get it addressed, they encouraged her to take a sabbatical cuz she was stressed out & she would of only gotten half her pay if she had. She was also under aLOT of stress cuz of all the bureaucracy. Some of her students were really bad & had major behavioral problems & when my mom tried to address the issues, the parents raised hell & the principle sided with them. My mom's hands were figuratively tied behind her back & they made my mom the scapegoat for things.


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Autumn78
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14 Dec 2019, 1:54 pm

It is sad to hear how frequently this happens.

I had a mediation at the start of my second year at the position. No change. I informed administration. Admin put forward a harassment complaint. HR found no proof. This was expected as I was always insulted/ "spoken to" behind closed doors.

We then tried to have meetings to improve communication because I was now the instigator of miscommunication and the four other people on the team do not trust me. The support staff complain to the admin, in front of me, different ways I am incompetent at my job.

I am looking into a transfer.
I work with many other staff in the school who live the work I do (inclusion of special ed students in mainstream classes). It is only the special ed team who feels I do wrong. Sadly, that is all the administrators are focusing on.

My mental health has deteriorated.
I cannot stop perseverating.

Because I'm a yes-person/ people pleaser I have been bullied before. Never this bad.

My admin knows I'm on the spectrum. I've had countless anxiety attacks during meetings where I'm seen as incompetent because I cannot express myself well under such stress. I stutter, shake, have poor conversation skills and interrupt. Yet it only happens when I'm being scolded. In all other classes, with all other teachers, I am in better control of my emotions and conversation skills.

I feel asking for a transfer is my only hope. This has been offered to me before. I've said no out of a love for my students. Also, I would be seen as "the problem". I may have to swallow a reputation blow to feel some sort of sanity.



SharonB
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14 Dec 2019, 8:59 pm

I was in an AS-friendly group until mgmt. changed. It is clear the new mgmt. thinks less of me and started treating me disrespectfully; some peers joined the bandwagon. Thankfully HR was mildly supportive and encouraged me to speak my mind. I also contacted a lawyer who gave me some words to use. It took a year and a half and I am being treated more respectfully. Still I am "less than" so will be leaving... soon... any day now... when I focus on my job search... soon... (help me!)



Autumn78
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15 Dec 2019, 7:48 am

Sharon B,
I wish I had some answers. I've spent my weekend in fits of crying due to my situation.
I feel powerless.
I am sorry you are looking for other employment.
Being an adult with AS is ridiculously difficult. We are easy targets and less likely to be believed.



Mountain Goat
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15 Dec 2019, 8:03 am

Mountain Goat wrote:
Start naming names in front of the school governers? Be honest and truthful. Say you went through the official channel but nothing was taken seriously.
These days I have put up with so much in the past. Thankfully the last place I worked there was a great group of people. Sadly I could not cope and it has nothing to do with the staff or company this time, but the time before with the previous job I came under dreadful "Hidden" bullying where for 5 years I had been working for about half minimum wage because the bully had control of the payroll and I was forced to work a great many hours without overtime pay.


It is only now that I realize just how much bullying I had as it was so hidden. Working hours without pay for a few years due to a certain grudge the guy who sorted the pay out had against me.
Having crushed my finger (The bone is still missshaped. I have crushed another finger since but I refused to deal with it so I could avoid an afternoon of shutdowns) and the guy refused to get me help or allow my injury to be logged on their accident and report section on the companies computer...
Getting me to do dangerous work on my own that three people used to do if they had to do it.
Getting me to do their work on top of my own work and telling me off for not completing my work.
Threatening me with the sack if I go ill or I refuse to do the extra unpaid hours.

Mind you. Ir was all my fault really. I should have walked out but I assumed the guy was my friend. I never picked up on the fact that he didn't like me, even though for years I had to do work that others didn't have to do. I was working while they were relaxing! I just assumed this was normal. How stupid I was to carry on working! I would only have lost two months pay if I would walk out. Yet staying put me through years of torture. Stress of doing so much extra work in my shift and stress of working all those extra unpaid hours to keep the job! Stress of working through ones lunch breaks.... Stress....!



SharonB
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15 Dec 2019, 8:14 am

Autumn78 wrote:
Sharon B,
I wish I had some answers. I've spent my weekend in fits of crying due to my situation.
I feel powerless.
I am sorry you are looking for other employment.
Being an adult with AS is ridiculously difficult. We are easy targets and less likely to be believed.

Kudos to your for processing it some. I have kept my overwhelm at a distance and so it leaks out Everywhere else. I am irritable with outbursts. People don't believe me b/c I present upset tightly controlled and it looks like calm. The calm instead of the storm! :roll:

Do you have some ideas about what you need or will do?



pyrrhicwren
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03 Jan 2020, 3:00 am

Sorry to hear about that situation I know what being bullied feels like. I used to work for a large organization that championed autism in name only. In practice the management would treat us bad and say that autisitic traits were our "preferences". Even after I gave a 3 page diagnostic letter they didn't care. They liked the type and amount of work I would do but, the very good looking, socializers & different personality disorder types did the best due to workplace strategies, ganging up, and influencing. My experience in the modern workforce is that the majority NT pool is very ambitious, aggressive and will do whatever they have to do to get what they want no matter who is in the way. It is really hard to compete against slick games and social strategy in an NT hierarchy, I can't. Overflowing blessings to you and a very tangbile increased inner strength in this new year.


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Brivae
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04 Jan 2020, 10:04 pm

Autumn78 wrote:
Hello.
I'm wondering if anyone out there has experienced workplace bullying. I have high functioning Autism and I am a teacher. I'm also being mistreated by a few coworkers, who are supported by our admin. I feel a bit lost.
Any stories to share?



Hey, yeah.

There is support from federal and state agencies regarding the equal employment and treatment of people who are diagnosed with disabilities.

Resources you may look into are:
EEOC
US Civil Rights Center
American Disabilities Association (ADA)
Department of Labor

If you plan on presenting a case make sure to keep track of evidences.



aspieprincess123
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25 Feb 2020, 10:11 am

I was bullied in my last job though I got a new job which is a lot better.

My last job I was a receptionist which was several years ago and at the time I was only a contractor so when the union staff went in strike I was expected to work which I did.

No one said anything at the time and 3 months later I was given a full time job.

Well it started with little things like hiding my stuff taking money out my purse I couldn't price anything. Then when they started to get confident and would do things like tell the boss I was late for work when I wasn't and key m car.

I had a full breakdown and I went to HR at the time and the union backed the 2 women up and when I complained to the union they said behind closed doors I had it coming for not striking even though I explained I was a contract staff.

My partner had enough of it and thankfully didn't know what he looked like and then went into the office as I worked for child services he pretended to be a parent looking for services and he had on him hidden cameras and he recorded them when I left the seat pouring my coffee on the keyboard and taking money from my purse and finally bragging about how the boss is letting them get away with there bullying before resorting to calling me horrible names.

With the video evidence he went to my workplace demanded to speak to HR and when he presented a copy of the footage to HR and the union they threatened to have him arrested for recording in the reception.

His reply still makes me laugh as he also recorded the meeting with them and he just said if nothing is seem to done and quickly he will ensure the local news, every social media platform and he will hunalite the b*****s who are doing the bullying as he also recorded them during the session about how one of them was shagging her colleague.

He also said he can't be arrested as reception could be considered public domain and he uses a camera tro track where he was at if he has a seizure.

He mentioned that as the union was protecting two people who were known bullies if it went public it would destroy all trust in the union which might mean less union fees.

They quickly sacked the two b*****s and the boss took early retirement and I moved job not long after so my partner was nice enough to leave a copy of the video where she bragged about her affair on her husband's Facebook wall. Wrecking a marriage.

My current job is great though I did a few months ago get pulled up for wearing a thong at work so now wear my granny pants lol

I think several people learned that my partner only deals in black and white that day.