Fired For Being Autistic - Workplace Adjustments For Autistic Employees

Hi! I'm Orion Kelly and I'm Autistic. On this video I explore the topic of employment and neurodivergent people, and offer some practical workplace adjustments for employers to implement. Plus, I share my personal lived experiences as an #actuallyautistic employee. #orionkelly #autism #asd #autismsigns #whatautismfeelslike

⏱ Index:
00:00 - Welcome
00:46 - Fired for being Autistic
05:18 - Workplace adjustments & inclusive practices
05:31 - Environmental
08:30 - Communication & interaction
13:36 - Professionalism
19:30 - Education

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ABOUT ORION:
Orion Kelly is an #ActuallyAutistic vlogger (YouTuber), podcaster, radio host, actor, keynote speaker and Autistic advocate based in Australia. Orion is all about helping you increase your understanding, acceptance and appreciation of Autistic people.

#AutisticVoices #ActuallyAutistic #Autistic #Autism #OrionKelly #ThatAutisticGuy #ASD

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⛔️*Disclaimer: The videos contained on this channel are for general education and entertainment purposes only and do not constitute professional advice. For professional advice and training seek assistance from a qualified provider. All views are my own and do not represent those of my employers or sponsors. Some images used are stock images.*⛔️

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[mariawesley]

Twenty years ago I was fired with the explanation "You just don't fit here". Losing my income caused the obvious hardships, but being told that it wasn't because of job performance, but because I don't fit was excruciating. I've never fit in any group I've ever been a part of, but until then I never knew I could lose my job over it.

[emekecho]

Even when successfully completed an expensive education some autistic people can't still function in office type setting or in society.
Even an autistic lawyer like here who knows how to reason and talk to defend themselves can't function in a neurotypcical environment.

Autism requires is a world of communication based on total honesty and openness.
The society needs a big update on autism education, acceptance and compassion for all.

Autism is a neurologically different brain. It's not realistic for neurotypicals to expect autistic people to act like them. Different operating system. "A Mac can't act like a PC".

Thank you. Awesome vids.

[SteamboatWilley]

One problem I have had is trying to "look busy" when it's quiet. I can and will turn up on time and do everything i'm told, but when the bosses don't give you anything to do and then tell you off for not doing anything, it's very frustrating. Then when things go the other way and I'm overwhelmed I can often struggle because I'm afraid to ask for help in case people think I'm stupid or incapable. Management should be supporting you and giving you the training you need, not berating you for being "useless".

[flite]

The hardest thing about this whole question for me is I can never ever feel safe and secure in a job. OK These days almost no one has a safe job . But my job is less safe. I never know when something I do will get me sacked. And that makes me hypervigilant and hyper stressed all the time.

[perin]

I worked nightshifts doing security for years and it was bliss. I got to be on my own for most of the time. It was quiet, predictable and I spent most of my shifts reading. Being blunt with people wasn't just tolerated, it was encouraged.

[loonaalmasy]

Jupp, happened to me too. For years they just let me work my routine, even let me use earprotection because the machines were so loud. Apparently the did this only because my productionrate was 30% higher than that of anybody else.
After I got officially diagnosed with ASD and ADD my shifts and routines suddenly started to change and my earprotection got forbidden. I started having regular meltdowns and thus got sickleave. They kicked me out after 9 1/2years "because you are sick so often".
My doctor ratted them out to the authorities for that. They got fined to hell and back for it, since it was obvious that they messed with me on purpose 🤔

[anniem]

Due to heavy masking all my life (I was diagnosed as a late teen and I’m female) I’m actually the the opposite of rude in the workplace. I’m so cautious of what I say that I’ve been called a pushover. I constantly receive criticism from employers and friends/family that I need to be more assertive.

[Mamatruffle]

I started a job two months ago and got rave reviews from the beginning. Once I started hitting burnout and asked for a hybrid schedule earlier than we had agreed on using an ADA Accommodations Request, 5 days later I was "let go." It's frustrating. ND folks deserve to work and have a life too. I'm considering filing a legal complaint. Companies can't get away with this behavior.

[Nate-BreakingPoint-Interactive]

I'm 27 and I've worked over 20 jobs in the last 8 years. Relatively recently I realized I'm autistic and can't imagine any of the jobs I've had responding well if I were to inform them of my struggles

[buttercxpdraws]

You probably don’t remember but back in 2021 I emailed you asking advice on if I should disclose my (then) recent autism diagnosis to my employer. Because it was a public service position, you and I both thought that they should be more accomodating than the private sector might be and i ended up deciding to disclose. Not sure if it was them or me, but I always felt afterwards that they were treating me like I had intellectual impairment. I left of my own accord. 😢

[shaunhall]

We thrive when we are given respect for our differences.

[KeenanDenis]

There's an international organisation that helps Autistic people get jobs. When I attended the branch in my country, I was told I "don't look Autistic" and was compared to the manager's son, who's Autistic. That manager is still in his job today. In an organisation that "supports Autistic people find work". Yes, that actually happened to me. In an organisation that supports Autistic people find work. Yes, really.

[joycewillemsen-romijn]

I am very open about my autism. It is a problem when trying to get a job, but i do not want to change in my honesty about my way of thinking. I am very intelligent and i know that i can be a real difference in the workplace. So it is their loss.

[MrNeptunebob]

I was a groundskeeper at a city zoo where one of the bosses was very loud to the point of being painful. I was told I was "doing a great job" and "the guests really like me" and then I was fired because the loud boss said I "was not a good fit". Its so confusing, I mean, they did not say I did a bad job. Worse yet, the Human Resources director was really nasty. I have found HR is often Rude and nasty.

[anabelsanchez]

Employers only care about profit. And management is usually winging it themselves. Corporations just want people who do the most work for least pay. The great resignation is everyone’s reaction to being treated badly. I’m the US salaries have gone up and certain industries can’t find enough staff. Hope it changes but it’s looking grim.

[SCdreamdrawer]

I can be so paranoid of revealing any overstimulation, pain, or sickness, out of fear I'll be fired for "not being cut out for work". Phrases like, "If you can't handle the heat, get out of the kitchen."
And of course, they will never say that you were fired for being autistic so they just get away with it.

[rummagehill]

Oh they crack me up .... No I don't care to talk about football for an hour... Yep ... But they sure take advantage of aspe u can do 4 people's job ...

[harrietwindebank]

I was labelled challenging, awkward, difficult, quirky and a dilemma at work.

[jaidenoliver]

Just some of the things I'm dealing with at work currently and are why I'm trying to find work somewhere else.

"come on be a team person and come to lunch with us today that we decided on 20 minutes ago. Forget the lunch you packed and plans we want social time, don't you care about this opportunity we've given you?"

"I see you're only half way through making this thing, but let me talk to you for an hour about what you should add and things to improve that I'm sure you're still working on but I need to feel important"

"listen, I'm the same as you, quiet and don't like talking to people that much but it's just something we have to do and if you don't start asking more questions and participating more in things like lunch it seems like you don't want to stay here and we might have to let you go"

[pain.]

As someone whose most likely autistic I got fired because I was "defiant" and too "slow" when in fact I was one of the hardest and most precise people on the job. The other workers noticed that I was rather quiet but nice and was hyperfocused on my work and did a good job. The boss was always being a douche bag towards me and even fussed me out cussing and everything. It pissed me off so bad I was getting intrusive thoughts but I didn't let it get to me. That experience scarred me and haven't been working since.