" 87% Unemployed "

Post Reply New Topic

In a Subway resturaunt to-day , the radio station on played a PSA for an organization for (in Silicon Valley) people with developmental disabilities ~ They read of a statistic , " 87% of people with DDs are uemployed " , presumably (I presume adults) ~ And me ? What are my chances ?
At some people's retirement age...I have never worked , I never had a complete college education , I spent my 21st birthday in a state mental institution , I have a record...So who wants me/is gonna help me ? ...
You know , homeless , I often am simply trying to take care of disposing fluid or picking up/bottling some (going to the bathroom or getting water/pop/whatever) ...........

It's because of discrimination. We are labeled unusable and unemployable. People don't like those who are a bit different. There should be some charities nearby that should help you get a job, I know there are a few in Philadelphia. I'm sorry I can't help more... I hope things improve for you.

Today, I went to a sales party, where very good cleaning products, towels, brushes, etc. were being sold. That was the GOOD part of my being present at the party. The BAD part was when a Teacher, who had also been invited to the party, seemed to press me very hard to "Get Back To Work". You see, I'm currently unemployed and collecting SSDI. That teacher just told me that I "Look", and "Talk", normally, so I should be able to get, and keep, a regular job. Right?

I did my best to politely explain that my returning to work depends upon my being able to successfully start my OWN business. The lady who was running the sales party probably heard my saying that, and she asked me if I wanted to sell the things that were displayed at the party. NO. Not because I didn't like the products, but because I am just NOT good at sales jobs. I've tried selling insurance, and failed miserably.

Somewhere between 80% to 90% of people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), are unemployed. I happen to be one of them. Before I was diagnosed with ASD, I did have 29+ jobs that helped me develop a tarnished "Track Record" for employers to review, and they must now weed me out or something. Once a person has had soo... many jobs, and been fired from most of those, for reasons that range from: "Poor Work Performance" to "Problems Working In A Team Environment" to "Difficulty Following Directions", etc. their employment prospects are not very good. Vocational Rehabilitation seems to understand this, and they were of absolutely no help to me.

I had no choice, but to file for SSDI. It was either that, or live on the COLD streets of Minneapolis, Minnesota. This past winter, the temperature was often BELOW ZERO. Burr!! !

So, like I told that teacher, having my own business would be the only way that I could get back to work. But starting a business is easier said than done. We'll see what shakes out for me.

I'm uncertain about the 87% unemployed claim. I've heard 85% quoted by autism Speaks in relation to ASDs only. A literature search turned up no reputable academic studies anywhere. The 85% claim seems to be a random estimate which outfits like Autism Speaks are promoting for particular purposes of their own.

It would be very hard to do credible research. For example, unless you knew how many undisclosed/employed ASD people there were, you could not establish the percentage that was not employed, and the randomization of sampling which would be required to get reliable and valid results in such a study would be an almost impossible exercise.

The main impact of the 85% claim here will probably be to demoralise and discourage lots of members.
PS If you have any robust academic evidence please send it to me and I will have a close look at it. At this point, I don't believe any sound research exists.

I am sorry for your ongoing plight ASS-P. It must be very hard on you, and may you have much better times ahead.

I fear for my survival.

I guess i'm that 13% who actually got a job. Ftw.

What is considered "employed"

Working a full time, unsupported job not below your skill set job. You are paying all your bills on what you haul in.

That is how employment is figured for the mentally ill.

In my husband's support group. 2/15 were actually gainfully employed. The two men are 50+ years old, and getting ready to retire. The other men had a mish mash of under employment (multiple degrees working part time at a store), applying for disability or not working at all.

I think many Aspies have part time jobs, it's just part time is not included in THAT statistic.

...Getting some help in getting my open wound
in my form and all my other medical probleams would help me , after that , something that could get me back into college/uni following that , would help - my " No hope , no help...Too Aspie ? " post details this somewhat .

It really sucks. I would suggest to get connected with your county's mental health department, workforce department, developmental disability center, etc. as soon as possible. That is what I'm doing and I'm optimistic that they will help me get a job soon. It's hard enough to get a job in a place with high unemployment but almost impossible when you're noticeably neurodivergent. Who is going to hire the one neurodivergent person when there are 30 other neurotypical people trying? Interviews are the worst. They are really hard to fully fake your way through. It's going to be very difficult to 'pass' in an interview but not impossible and there's really no way around it.

In German papers I have read that between 76% to 90% of people with autism are not employed.
Some papers differienciate, write that 40% of people diagnosed with Aspergers are not employed and 95% of people diagnosed wit LFA are not employed, but no real statistics do exists and I did not do sufficient research this time as well, but each time I researched it in the past I remember the unemployment rate was fairly high (at least 70%).

I think it's basically the job interview process - if you can't do the job interview, you aren't going to get the job. I have worked my whole life, I have had loads of different jobs and at 46 am quite the jack of all trades. I have never got a job through the job interview process - I have always got jobs where they are hiring anyone (or everyone) and then I prove myself on the job, or the other way I got jobs is through people I knew, ie contacts. I have spent a lot of time on the rock and roll (dole) as well, going through the job interview processes with no success at all. I get confused with their questions and get tongue tied and laugh inappropriately. I don't think I've ever had a job that I considered it to be a valuable contribution to society, or that I was meant to be doing that job. Jobs are there to pay the bills, otherwise they are a total waste of time!!

The Autism Society of America provides the following stat:

Good spotting! Am very impressed

It would've been nice if I was diagnosed as being on the spectrum years ago. It would've saved me the torture of being a nurse for nearly 30 years. Those were painful, torturous years: too many sounds, too many lights, way too much aggravation, too many chiefs and no Indians, too many small minds, too much ignorance, too much stress and loads of fatigue & headaches. How did I deal with it? I drank like a fish. It was the only way to make the world tolerable.