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Should you declare your Asperger's when applying for a job?

I have a question: is Aspergers classed as a disability? If I am required to fill out a form stating whether or not I have a disability, would Aspergers count?

I don't have an official diagnosis (other than my psych saying I show signs of it) and I don't see it as a disability. However, if I got a job and then later got the official diagnosis, would that suddenly mean I'm disabled and require me to declare it? I won't want to get the diagnosis and then get into trouble for not declaring it.

I'm going to have a job interview next week and I don't like hiding things. I'm worried it will slip out somehow... I don't have "excellent communications skills" although I don't think they are really required for a job in revegetation. But what if I blurt it out somewhere while I'm talking blind (where I can't see my thoughts clearly and stumble about saying whatever comes into my head)???
 
Cosmophylla said:
I have a question: is Aspergers classed as a disability? If I am required to fill out a form stating whether or not I have a disability, would Aspergers count?

I don't have an official diagnosis (other than my psych saying I show signs of it) and I don't see it as a disability. However, if I got a job and then later got the official diagnosis, would that suddenly mean I'm disabled and require me to declare it? I won't want to get the diagnosis and then get into trouble for not declaring it.

I'm going to have a job interview next week and I don't like hiding things. I'm worried it will slip out somehow... I don't have "excellent communications skills" although I don't think they are really required for a job in revegetation. But what if I blurt it out somewhere while I'm talking blind (where I can't see my thoughts clearly and stumble about saying whatever comes into my head)???
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The DSM does not use Aspergers as a diagnosis. Officially, it is Autism Spectrum Disorder.
 
pax said:
Or make life so miserable you want to leave. It's almost impossible to prove bullying as it is.
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This man had the right idea when it comes to collecting evidence of bullying, although be warned as the video may cause upset:
 
Cosmophylla said:
I have a question: is Aspergers classed as a disability? If I am required to fill out a form stating whether or not I have a disability, would Aspergers count?

I don't have an official diagnosis (other than my psych saying I show signs of it) and I don't see it as a disability. However, if I got a job and then later got the official diagnosis, would that suddenly mean I'm disabled and require me to declare it? I won't want to get the diagnosis and then get into trouble for not declaring it.

I'm going to have a job interview next week and I don't like hiding things. I'm worried it will slip out somehow... I don't have "excellent communications skills" although I don't think they are really required for a job in revegetation. But what if I blurt it out somewhere while I'm talking blind (where I can't see my thoughts clearly and stumble about saying whatever comes into my head)???
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I think that Asperger's Syndrome can be a disability, but that is not always the case. It depends on where you are on the spectrum. I have Asperger's (diagnosed on the DSM-4 criteria) and I am not disabled in any way. In fact I see my Asperger's as a positive. Whether or not it is a disability probably depends mostly on the individual. If you think that you are disabled, then you probably are. I know it is not that simple, that is just my view.

It has been my experience that discloser never leads to any good. Unless you are talking to another Aspie or a medical professional, they will not understand. I have encountered a lot of medical professionals who do not understand. It is your business and your decision whether or not to disclose anything.
 
My employer knows, but I did not disclose till a job offer was tendered and accepted by me. They need to know that I am on the spectrum as its both a reason I am so good at what I do, but a reason why I react certain ways. I do not hide it my AS one bit. There are pictures on my tool box, one has "Aspergers" spelled out verticaly and each letter lists some of the common traits associated with having Aspergers. It has created many interesting conversations and if I become really stressed or look befuddled, others check on me to make sure I am alright. Mike
 
clg114 said:
I think that Asperger's Syndrome can be a disability, but that is not always the case. It depends on where you are on the spectrum. I have Asperger's (diagnosed on the DSM-4 criteria) and I am not disabled in any way. In fact I see my Asperger's as a positive. Whether or not it is a disability probably depends mostly on the individual. If you think that you are disabled, then you probably are. I know it is not that simple, that is just my view.

It has been my experience that disclosure never leads to any good. Unless you are talking to another Aspie or a medical professional, they will not understand. I have encountered a lot of medical professionals who do not understand. It is your business and your decision whether or not to disclose anything.
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Agreed. I think this is critical for those of us living in the US. Even with the ADA, I'd think you don't want to declare or imply a disability with an employer unless you can professionally and medically back it up in a court of law. And it can get even more complicated depending on the nature of your diagnosis as clg114 explained, pertinent to the DSM-IV's Aspergers Syndrome or the DSM-V's Autism Spectrum Disorder. (The former being more concise than the latter.)

It isn't simple at all IMO either.
 
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wanderer03 said:
The American's with Disabilities Act also has no teeth. It's largely token.
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This was also true of the American Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act until courageous people like Dr. martin Luther King and Rosa Parks came along and said enough is enough! The truth is that Rights do not become part of the culture just because they are written into law. That is only the first step. We must also take the responsibility for ensuring those rights are enforced. If we causally walk away from that responsibility, then we can only blame ourselves for the resulting apathy.
 
ezcare said:
This was also true of the American Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act until courageous people like Dr. martin Luther King and Rosa Parks came along and said enough is enough! The truth is that Rights do not become part of the culture just because they are written into law. That is only the first step. We must also take the responsibility for ensuring those rights are enforced. If we causally walk away from that responsibility, then we can only blame ourselves for the resulting apathy.
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Just for the record, both Dr. King and Rosa Parks were involved in civil rights issues going back to the mid fifties. The Civil Rights Act wasn't signed into law until 1964 and the Voting Rights Act in 1965. Pretty turbulent times if you lived back then.

But yes, civil liberties legislation is no guarantee that society will follow at the same pace. After all, just look at the span of time between Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) and Brown v. Board of Education (1954). Fifty eight years lapsed before even the court determined the Doctrine of Separate But Equal to be unconstitutional. And that was just the sentiment of the court- not society as a whole. Yet another ten years went by before Congress and the president were willing to sign off on the Civil Rights Act. And like virtually all of our civil rights, such legislation is still limited and specified as to where it applies and where it doesn't. It tolerates degree of discrimination, and does not effectively or categorically end it.

But in the case of autistic people, we are mired down in debates over what constitutes a disorder, infirmity and entitlements as opposed to civil rights alone. An even more complex process, IMO. We have a very long way to go. Especially when there are powerful entities like Autism Speaks who seems bent on containing us as an illness rather than as a community of able citizens who communicate somewhat differently than the masses.

Getting society to follow the judiciary is the weakest link in this chain. One that consistently and historically takes a very long time to come to fruition. Then factor in a minority that allegedly constitutes less than two percent of the population.
 
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Judge said:
Just for the record, both Dr. King and Rosa Parks were involved in civil rights issues going back to the mid fifties. The Civil Rights Act wasn't signed into law until 1964 and the Voting Rights Act in 1965. Pretty turbulent times if you lived back then.

But yes, civil liberties legislation is no guarantee that society will follow at the same pace. After all, just look at the span of time between Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) and Brown v. Board of Education (1954). Fifty eight years lapsed before even the court determined the Doctrine of Separate But Equal to be unconstitutional. And that was just the sentiment of the court- not society as a whole. Yet another ten years went by before Congress and the president were willing to sign off on the Civil Rights Act. And like virtually all of our civil rights, such legislation is still limited and specified as to where it applies and where it doesn't. It tolerates degree of discrimination, and does not effectively or categorically end it.

But in the case of autistic people, we are mired down in debates over what constitutes a disorder, infirmity and entitlements as opposed to civil rights alone. An even more complex process, IMO. We have a very long way to go. Especially when there are powerful entities like Autism Speaks who seems bent on containing us as an illness rather than as a community of able citizens who communicate somewhat differently than the masses.

Getting society to follow the judiciary is the weakest link in this chain. One that consistently and historically takes a very long time to come to fruition. Then factor in a minority that allegedly constitutes less than two percent of the population.
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Judge, Thank you for correcting my memory of the Civil Rights timeline. Nonetheless, we are in full agreement about the need for the Aspie population to make our voice heard. We have two traits that work against us in the current US Political Dynamic: we tend to be both reserved and patient. The very thought of picketing, marching, and making loud noises goes against our very grain. Autism Speaks is not successful because the majority of people on the Spectrum speak for themselves. This Political Action group is fueled by the Parents and Relatives of Autistic Children who had been marginalized by the more powerful lobbies for Cancer, Heart Disease, HIV, and Diabetes research funding. By co-opting the cause of Aspies and linking us to their agenda, they gain a group of people who can think outside the box, express complex solutions in understandable terms, and may actually be the genesis behind much of the technology we now take for granted. But as long as the voting public is led to believe that we have an illness closely related to Autism, we will continue to find ourselves boxed in that space both in the workplace and in Congress. Unfortunately, it will take a lot of noise and protesting to remove ourselves from that box. That is unlikely to happen as long as we are willing to accept our "illness" label. This is compounded by the Parents of our younger "diagnosed" members who would rather see their Aspie son or daughter become eligible for lifetime Government Assistance than steer them towards a sustainable and self-fulling career in which the ability to understand and solve very complex global problems trumps people skills 10 times over.
 
Absolutely not. I do not have a diagnosis, partially for this reason. I can skip the checkbox "autism" without failing to declare something that is specifically asked for on the form. I am not qualified to declare myself autistic, and my opnion is legally meaningless. They have figured it out, having me spend a day doing offshore work with a supervisor, so he could bait me with transparent conversational gambits about "asperger's" and "social skills", etc. for 4 hours on a small boat. Fortunately, people who have the skillset they need for my position are rarer than unicorns, and I have been there a year, and proven my worth. I have two glowing reviews and a raise already. They know now, but are used to my weirdness, and I have friends and allies in the company at different levels.

So, no, unless you cannot hide it long enough to become entrenched, and prove yourself, do not declare it.
 
Butterfly88 said:
I plan to tell my employer but after they hire me.
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Is there anyway you can be vague about it? When I applied for my present job, I declared myself disabled without offering specifics. As far as they know, it could be a physical disability that I have. It forces them to tread more carefully.
 
Ok I need help with this. I have been interviewing for tons of jobs. I've gone through the Voc Rehab agency, and they've been completely worthless and useless in helping me. So I'm looking on my own again. I tried for a call center job at AAA Insurance and only lasted 3 days it was clear the job wasn't for me. Last week I interviewed for a page job at the public library which I'd like, and for a file clerk at a law office. Both interviews went ok I guess, but I don't feel overly confident about getting either job.

So normally when interviewing I don't mention my autism, which has been formally diagnosed by medical professionals by the way. But I normally don't bring it up on an interview. However, if filling out an online application, if they ask there, I say yes, and mention any reasonable accommodations I need.

Here's my question now. Since I'm having no luck looking for work, should I start mentioning the fact that I have a disability on interviews? My work history is slim to none, so I feel like employers will wonder why that is.

I figure maybe I can mention I have autism, and have been diagnosed, but then turn it into a positive by stressing that while I need accommodations in one or two areas, I can excel in other aspects. Plus my autism has been formally diagnosed by my mental health team where I am a patient, so it would be easily verifiable.

Employers say they don't discriminate on this basis, so isn't it worth a try bringing it up but making it a positive thing?
 
Robby said:
Ok I need help with this. I have been interviewing for tons of jobs. I've gone through the Voc Rehab agency, and they've been completely worthless and useless in helping me. So I'm looking on my own again. I tried for a call center job at AAA Insurance and only lasted 3 days it was clear the job wasn't for me. Last week I interviewed for a page job at the public library which I'd like, and for a file clerk at a law office. Both interviews went ok I guess, but I don't feel overly confident about getting either job.

So normally when interviewing I don't mention my autism, which has been formally diagnosed by medical professionals by the way. But I normally don't bring it up on an interview. However, if filling out an online application, if they ask there, I say yes, and mention any reasonable accommodations I need.

Here's my question now. Since I'm having no luck looking for work, should I start mentioning the fact that I have a disability on interviews? My work history is slim to none, so I feel like employers will wonder why that is.

I figure maybe I can mention I have autism, and have been diagnosed, but then turn it into a positive by stressing that while I need accommodations in one or two areas, I can excel in other aspects. Plus my autism has been formally diagnosed by my mental health team where I am a patient, so it would be easily verifiable.

Employers say they don't discriminate on this basis, so isn't it worth a try bringing it up but making it a positive thing?
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I wouldn't disclose it until you are hired and have been at the job long enough to show competence. Simply because an employer states that they don't discriminate on the basis of disability, does not make it so. The law requires the employer to make a non-discriminatory statement. Often the employer can easily flout this by simply finding another reason to overlook the candidate.

Many applications let you disclose that you have a disability without providing specifics. Why not just do that? I did it. It forces the employer to tread very lightly.
 
Ok, but what if you interview and either don't tell them I have autism, or simply mention I have a disability, without saying what it is, but I still don't get the job? What then? Could I at that point contact them and ask them why I didn't get it, and then mention that I have autism and bring it up and maybe they'd reconsider?
 
Robby said:
Ok, but what if you interview and either don't tell them I have autism, or simply mention I have a disability, without saying what it is, but I still don't get the job? What then? Could I at that point contact them and ask them why I didn't get it, and then mention that I have autism and bring it up and maybe they'd reconsider?
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Not necessarily. It's not that simple. If you went back to them, you would get an answer in corporate-speak which would be some very generic statement designed not to open them up to civil liability. Most employers don't even look at the voluntary statement of disability. Again, it's there as an ass covering. For all they know and can guess at, it's a minor physical disability - no big deal.

Guaranteed that they'll find another reason not to hire you. An employer can find a legitimate reason not to hire the most qualified candidate for a job. It really isn't that hard.
 
I guess you're right. It was just a thought. So it's just not a good idea to bring up autism during an interview then? Even if you have a formal diagnosis, but like bring it up but turn it into a positive thing? Maybe if you bring it up during the interview, you can make it into a positive, and also make them more likely to consider the disability quota thing. Having autism, it's an invisible disability too, so maybe mentioning it in the interview would give you more chance of getting the job. Or maybe not. I mean it's just different than someone with down syndrome or an amputee or blind person, autism isn't a visible disability. So employers would not discriminate against someone with an obvious disability, so why not disclose autism in a job interview so we get the same consideration and protection against hiring discrimination? Just a thought.
 
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