Could This Be Discrimination?

[total-recoil]

I'll share with you all what happened to me today as it's pretty weird and I'm curious over feedback. As we discussed aspies at work and issues relating to this, I think my post will illustrate how potential problems can so easily arise.
I started work today in a warehouse. This job was arranged for me (under coercion) by the employment agency although I did suggest there may have been better alternatives. Anyway, I decided to do my best and make a good impression so I attended the induction in my own time and finally turned up for work this morning at 6.00 in the morning. To get there I biked it and arrived around 5.30. I should also add that, whereas in the past I'd be pretty nervous, today I was chilled out and calm. I've been chilled ever since I discovered I have aspergers as now I tend to go a lot easier on myself and don't allow situations to worry me.
Work consisted of loading up stocked pallets onto a hydraulic wheel-barrow or mobile hoist and then reloading the pallets elsewhere. This was pretty easy for me as I do weights and, in no time, I had emptied two loading bays and neatly deposited the pallets inside the warehouse.
Here is the punch line: Just as I'd finished this task, 2 guys came up to me and started asking me questions and they looked worried. Where had I worked before and where had I come from? I calmly asked what the problem was as I needed to know exactly how I could help but was asked if I could please leave the factory. So, I obliged, picked up my stuff and left.
After this I was trying to figure it out. I was wondering if they figured I was on drugs or something as people who know me well have said in the past I do appear a bit spaced out. Also, I was thinking about the motor skills side of it. To do this work I had to navigate a large hoist and this is really much more difficult for me than normal people. I managed O.K. but must have sometimes appeared a bit awkward.
However, I think specifically it was my asking for specifics that caused the problem. If someone tells me they want me to move objects I'll naturally ask where specifically. I'd need to know whether to the right, to the left, central or maybe by an exit because I always think of consequences (i.e. efficiency for future removal). To my mind there is no harm in asking specifics but they took it as my being inefficient.
Basically I've not allowed myself to get angry but I have already made complaints. I think the whole thing is incredibly stupid and childish and that these people basically need to get a life or something. It does actually feel like discrimination as normally you get sent home for taking drugs, being abusive or not working. All I did was maybe appear a bit clumsy and ask a seemingly rational question.
Actually this pattern has a habit of repeating itself but before I didn't know I had aspergers.

 

[King_Oni]

Reading through it, a lot sounds familiar, yet, I'm wondering;

Did you think it was strange for them to keep you on the job even though you thought you appeared "weird"... and possibly on drugs (appeared to be, not neccesarily are under influence)?

On a related note; yes, these people need to mind their business. I had a similar run in once, and I told those people that if anyone would have a problem with me, it's the supervisor not other co-workers, no matter how long they're already around. But I could see this posing a problem at some point.

If... If you lose your job because people think you're weird in how your motorskills are, how you process information and whatever you might stumble upon, I find that's enough proof that there's "hidden" issues with people at workplaces and they should be looked into. To me that wouldn't be limited to people on the spectrum, but pretty much everyone who can't blend in perfectly due to whatever reason.

 

[imagesbyholly]

Unless there really is important information missing from your post about their perspective on the issue, I really am perplexed. Is it possible you did your job too well? If you did it, what on earth is the problem? If you weren't rude, and you didn't put the entire load in completely the wrong place, I can't imagine why they would have asked you to leave. They should have given you a reason. Wew you complaining about the work before they asked you questions and told you to leave? If not, I don't get it.

 

[Soup]

I'm as perplexed by this as everyone else is. There didn't seem to be anything in your behaviour, work habits or attitude that would give anyone cause to suddenly dismiss you without any explanation. Is there someone like a manager to whom you can appeal? This seems so very unfair & confusing!

 

[2wheels4ever]

It sounds to me like some people may have gotten upset that OP was making them appear lazy some new guy shows up out of nowhere and threatens to rock the boat. Employment agencies may or may not test for drugs, I get the feeling that not many do, which is probably neither here nor there in the same way OP doesn't explicitly mention being asked point-blank if they were impaired. All OP would have been obliged to do was tell the goons to talk to the people that assigned OP there

 

[Benevolent Fiend]

Could very well be discrimination, but atleast you have a job, due to my disability, my lack of experience, my lack of own transport and lack of finishing school, it is veritually impossible for me to get any work apart from volunteer

 

[Mike_GX1]

It sounds as if you may have frightened them.

But not in the sense you're thinking of though. Think outside the box and put yourself in their shoes - you've worked there for many years (not able to work anywhere else) and someone new comes in who appears not only smarter but more efficient and suddenly it becomes a case for survival.

Lift your head up from the experience and take it in your stride. You're too good to work there and this clearly proves that.

Good luck with future jobs.

 

[King_Oni]

Could very well be discrimination, but atleast you have a job, due to my disability, my lack of experience, my lack of own transport and lack of finishing school, it is veritually impossible for me to get any work apart from volunteer

You don't need transport and some kind of knowledge (be it experience or education) for volunteering?

Heck, even if I wanted to, I couldn't do it, since I don't own a car for starters... even for volunteering. The last time I talked to people who volunteer; it's actually costing them money on top (even if it's just for fuel money)... I'm no charity :\

 

[Benevolent Fiend]

It was volunteer work at the RSPCA, it took a bus or two to get there, cost about $2.70 at the time, might be different in the Netherlands or whereever u r... but here in Australia it's not too bad.

 

[King_Oni]

It was volunteer work at the RSPCA, it took a bus or two to get there, cost about $2.70 at the time, might be different in the Netherlands or whereever u r... but here in Australia it's not too bad.

Aside from busfares, some companies are so "in the middle of nowhere" you can't even get there with a bus. You need a car (or a taxicab). I've ran into situations where I was asked if I had a car, because... well, in case of emergencies, I can't rely on public transport. And they rather have a volunteer who is more "flexible". This was both for jobs as well as possible volunteering jobs.

Besides; The notion of me spending money to go to work (even if it's paid) doesn't sit with me well. But that's probably just me. Paying money to earn some more... idk

 

[total-recoil]

No, I wasn't dismissed and I am making a real fight of hanging onto my job. You can allow for a degree of stress in my last post as I have been under some stress as I try to "blend in". It's correct I did get sent home and am not sure why exactly but they had me back again as my time-keeping has been good and I guess they can see I'm trying my best.
Since I diagnosed aspergers some weeks ago I can now see all the difficulties I faced in the past but now in diagnostic terms. My motor clumsiness is very severe. It's as if when I'm being shown a new task that involves dexterity I appear to be moving like underwater, my brain sort of ahead of my body. Then it speeds up gradually and I can just about keep up with the others.
I came close to one meltdown. I was asked to bag costumes on a rack. You have to get a very large flimsy bag and somehow wrap it around some 8 costumes from below, pull it up and over and wrap at the top. Well, I couldn#t for the life of me do it. I was on the floor, unable to see what was going on, missing with the bag and costumes falling down on top of me. It was just like a seventies Incredible Hulk episode. I was actually getting so wound up and frustrated people just kept well out of my way and wouldn't approach. That helped matters as I was able to calm down and eventually managed to pick it up. I just never realised I was so clumsy and have even trodden on peoples' feet when worked up, not co-ordinating myself well so had to apologise.
I am sure I do stand out a lot. With me it's the slowness and I have to work very hard to try and not be so visible. I feel sure I can get on top of the situation but certainly I think people with this condition need a bit more awareness and support at work. By that I mean a normal person is usually shown a task and picks it up very quickly if it's a motor skill. With me, it's a slow process till I speed up.
I won't be able to post as much but will try my best to keep you all informed as to how I get on. I do think I can pull it off just about as it seems to be getting a bit easier and knowing how aspergers works helps me go easy on myself and to be prepared for difficulties. Most of the people are being O.K. with me and I appear to have been placed mostly working with the girls (mostly Polish girls).
I have had to accept my special interests are going to have to take a big back-seat as now I have far less time but, of course, I think having a job is good if I can hold it down and I know lots of aspies do have jobs and adapt. So, wish me luck, folks, and I'll let you all know if I sink or swim.

I'm as perplexed by this as everyone else is. There didn't seem to be anything in your behaviour, work habits or attitude that would give anyone cause to suddenly dismiss you without any explanation. Is there someone like a manager to whom you can appeal? This seems so very unfair & confusing!

 

[total-recoil]

I got my racer sorted out again. It's a sports road bike so I'll be pedaling quite some way. It should keep me in shape. I'm just doing the best I can at the moment and will be fairly relaxed to my fate. All that matters is I try and will then have nothing to feel uneasy about. My guess is I'll manage to hold the job down but only just.

It was volunteer work at the RSPCA, it took a bus or two to get there, cost about $2.70 at the time, might be different in the Netherlands or whereever u r... but here in Australia it's not too bad.

 

[total-recoil]

It's been going O.K., I think. People at work seem to like me and we chat a lot. I work hard and turn up on time and am just doing my best. Main problem is my difficulty recognising people. Apparently the other day I was chatting to a Lithuanian guy about how I'd been tagging items the day before and he replied, "Yes, I know, I was working with you!"
I still have to use T-shirt logos and clothes to distinguish the people there.

 

[Dragon's Tooth]

lol I wouldn't worry too much about forgetting names ... I do it all the time. I find it very hard to match a name and face unless it is someone I have very regular contact with.

If you do your job more efficiently than other people do in a workplace that is full of lazy people you will find you have a harder time. My husband gets that a bit because he likes to work hard and he is in a work environment where nobody wants to do any work unless they have too. My dad, who we think has asperger's as well, also ran into that problem a lot when he was growing up. He has often told me about it.

 

[total-recoil]

I was sent home today after arriving at 7.45. I had bad feet so was wearing shoes instead of safety boots so sent home and asked to come tomorrow with the safety boots. Apart from that I've been surviving and I don't think anyone has noticed me or anything odd. I get the impression people aren't treated very well in general and the place is a bit of a sweat shop although it could be worse and the canteen isn't too bad. Mixed feelings about being sent home as to get there is a big ride on mountain bike and nothing was said about my shoes before. I think maybe it was just one person trying to make a big fuss which ultimately hurt them more than me as I imply agreed, went home and back to bed (I've had a bad cold over the last few days). Later I was lucky enough to get some boots really cheap second hand so will go back tomorrow.
A controversial point is I'm doing short and sharp bike training rides again to get to work and feel it makes me much more alert. As I get fitter, I tend to perform better.

lol I wouldn't worry too much about forgetting names ... I do it all the time. I find it very hard to match a name and face unless it is someone I have very regular contact with.

If you do your job more efficiently than other people do in a workplace that is full of lazy people you will find you have a harder time. My husband gets that a bit because he likes to work hard and he is in a work environment where nobody wants to do any work unless they have too. My dad, who we think has asperger's as well, also ran into that problem a lot when he was growing up. He has often told me about it.