Should I tell work?

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Following my first ever post on Aspergers earlier today ("Any Apsies in Newcastle upon Tyne").

Should I tell my bosses at work I have Aspergers?

It was mentioned in my appraisal that I seem "distant, not a team player, aloof, arrogant, unapproachable". I agree with them and would describe myself as the same, but never knew why... I do now!! !! !!

This is Day 3 of knowing why I am like I am... I was diagnosed on Wednesday.

Maybe I should start my blog....???? (sorry, random thought to myself)

Anyway... Should I tell my boss?

Thanks

Jok

Be cautious about that. They will not likely take well to an idea of Asperger's being a legitimate excuse, and it will take a while for you to learn how to hopefully diminish its negative symptoms. I told my boss, but I also spent a lot of time talking with him about how I could do better at work.

If you decide to tell, don't use it as an excuse. Your way of thinking is different, see it that way. You may find it difficult to connect with other people, and have a reason for it, but you still need to work on it. People generally don't care about the reason, they just care about your attitude. So try to figure out what works for you and how you can improve yourself.

The most important lesson I learned in the 11 years since my diagnose: don't use it as an excuse. Never. Just state that you have difficulties in certain areas that you want to work on. Ask for feedback, and take it to heart. If you don't agree on something, try to accept it. It may not be the way the other sees it, but the problem is that he sees it that way. So you need to work on it, even if you think you don't. And I know this is very difficult, as you see things from your own perspective. At the very least try to understand the point of view from others if you disagree with them.

Anyway, congratulations being an aspie and welcome to the community. My post didn't really included an answer on your question, that's because I thing it is up to you to decide. Make a list of the pro's and con's of telling and not telling. Then decide for yourself, you know best.

I would honestly say no, don't tell them.

Yes you have a valid reason for being like this, but as others have said it's not an excuse and employers may well think you're trying to use it as such. Generally speaking asperger's and autistic people do get discriminated a lot in employment - I personally have received similar evaluations, bosses have often taken a dislike to me as a result and that never ends well - some employers will work with you to help you overcome your problems, but a lot will instantly write you off because of ignorance about asperger's and towards disabilities in general.

IF you do feel you need to tell them then make sure your boss can be trusted and cover your back as much as possible - for example keep record of meetings, possibly get a work-mate or union rep to go into meetings with you as a witness (get copies of evaluations, particularly if those things being raised have no effect on your ability to do your job). It may also be beneficial to take in a sheet of information explaining not only what asperger's is and why it can cause problems but also the benefits it has to employers; unique perspective, little/no prejudice, tolerance, integrity, loyalty, attention to detail, active minds, trustworthy, reliable, persistent, diligent, intelligent, methodical, etc. A few resources you may find helpful;
Employment @ NAS
The undiscovered workforce (Employer information)
Prospects-for-employers

We have laws in place to protect us but at the moment there's seemingly little substance to these, and although we can struggle we also have a lot to offer employers, a good employer should also do all they can to support you, I've known some wonderful bosses who do support people like us and if you have a good relationship with your boss then great...but the world is far from perfect. The jobs market being as it is you don't want to risk making yourself a target, only around 15% of people who are autistic or asperger's are in full-time employment (despite many of us being willing/able to work), there's reason for that...what I'm saying is this; if you don't need to tell them don't, and just be careful.

I speak from personal experience, and as someone who has worked as an employability adviser.

On the otherhand the absence of disclosure gives you no rights to goto an employment tribunal on the grounds of disability discrimination. Not that it matters anymore as legal aid is being withdrawn from tribunals.Plus i don't think anyones successfully ever followed through a disability discrimination claim all the way.

It's actually far too damn easy for an employer to fob off the disability discrimination act for my liking. "reasonable adjustment" is just too subjective an interpretation for anyone without knowledge of AS.

BTW thats 15% of people with aspergers who are subscribed members of the NAS in that study I know its pedantic but there are actually plenty of people with AS in employment who have found a niche and don't really ever require support or help of any kind unless they stumble into some kind of personal crisis that impacts on their work. Like anyone else really.

I had tremendous fun being falsely accussed of gross misconduct a few years ago due to being vocally at odds with my manager who was committing dangerous practicies which put vulnerable adults in dangerous and abusive situations. Through that experiance I got to find out just how little the law protects you even if you disclose your AS at application stage. Oh trade unions? Waste of money, I curse my former unions name everytime I take a great big dump.

So anyway. I don't know if this forum can be viewed by "guests" but don't be shy Jok name and shame the pricks you work for i'm building up an unofficial list of w*ker employer's be good to know who your having fun time dealing with.

As for your situation. Disclosure is not really going to solve your problems I think you need to see if you can tap into local support. Seeing as you have a local former employment advisor I would give the lady above my post a Private message and see if she can point you in the direction of anyone you could potentially involve to support you or potentially liase with your employer and look to establish you more successfully into the workplace.

Or you can try n solve your own problems. Whatever you do don't hang onto the job and burn out its just not worth going through the mental exhaustion of being in an unsuitable work environment.Easier said then done when theres no jobs out there.

If you want more info on disclosure and asperger situations there is a book written about 6 years ago


Amazon link

Do you even have prospects in newcastle? I think they actually run out of funding in april 2011.

Where do you work? a school? a store? how long have you been there/do you want to stay there? How well do you know your boss?

If it is a part time job/ one you wont be at for a long time then I would not.

If it is at a place you would be working at for a long time and there is a HR then tell the HR NOT your boss. More then not as soon as you tell them what you have you will be fired within the year.

I currently work in an Apple Store in the UK... It is only intended o be a temporary post... I got made redundant from a 12 year teaching post in July 2010 and this was only supposed to tide me over....
They are "interested" in how i am at the moment.... rather than being judgemental.

You might try printing and sharing some of this with them:

http://www.asperger-advice.com/

You work for Apple...you are the enemy...(jk)
I'm a geek with an inherent dislike of Apple and my partner is in iPhone support at Orange.
[heh, apples and oranges]

I'm sure I read somewhere about apple actually being autism/aspie-friendly employers, but trying to find "Apple+Asperger's" via a web search is bringing up too much junk to check that out, if that's true it may at least say it would perhaps be less of an issue if you did feel you needed to tell them...and if nothing else maybe you could help sell the asperger's apps on the app store.

Ha ha ha...
why the dislike of Apple? I am really interested as I LOVED apple as a consumer, but working for them is a very different thing.... I am wondering if your thoughts for disliking them are the same as mine...

I certainly come in to contact with a lot of weird and wonderful people as part of my job. It is also very structured in some senses, but completely random in others, so I am struggling right now to "fit in". I am NOT part of the "apple family".... that has been made very clear to me.

Ho Hum.... I like being me.... I like being an Aspie.

It's largely a PC v's Mac issue, but plenty of little things that makes them a classic example of a big evil multinational corporation, issues with forced software updates, itunes invading your PC, water-damage issues with iphone, openly mocking customers for buying into the rubbish [ipad] they come out with, their world-wide domination...not to be a 'hater' but I'd find the whole thing much less unsettling if their products weren't popular for style over substance. I find their well-known '1984' advertisement slightly ironic. But still, largely it's down to simple geek elitism

That whole store scares me, it's so...imposing...so they want you to become a clone, do they chant 'one of us, one of us, one of us' at you as you walk into the staff room, or do they make you take a pledge to the Apple corporation every morning?

Seriously, what do you mean by them making it clear you don't fit in? If you don't mind me asking.