AIBU to think dismissal during probation was unfair given autism adjustments?

No, it’s definitely a probation period in this case.

In the company I work for, a third of people fail the probation - after six months. It’s definitely not a formality. Everyone does have a degree, if not two, but it’s not a “grad training scheme”.

6-9 months does seem a very long probationary period. I would think 1-3 is more standard and often seen as more of a formality. Given how long it is, it does feel like this is not a formality and something they actually use. Sounds like it was probably more of a fixed 6 month contract with the potential to make you permenant if it goes well. I could have interpreted it wrongly though.

Does the op have a union? I am not sure that consultancy is a profession with a strong union culture but could be wrong there.

Black and white for me. Whats the point in a probation period if, after 6 or 9 months they feel you are not right for the job and they cant make a decision in the best interests of the company. 6-9 months they dont even need to provide a reason

@SereneRoseRobin A few people have asked, but you seem to be avoiding the question, but it may help us to understand your mindset - Why did you not feel you had to / want to apologise for making the mistake of recording the meeting without letting the others in the meeting know? Sometimes, you just need to apologise, even when you don't think you should have to. And was there a reason you recorded it personally when you knew it was being recorded anyway, so you could have got the official copy to transcribe from?

As for us helping you to find another job, what is your degree in (sorry if I missed it)? What kind of work do you enjoy? Numerical? Literary? Do you like dealing face to face with customers or do you prefer being behind the scenes? What kind of level are you aiming for in the future as in base level? Managerial? CEO? I think you need something much more structured than consultancy, something you can learn and then, whilst not necessarily repetitive, has a strong similarity that is the basis for each piece of work. That way you can learn the structure and work from there without people having to use their time to hand-hold and double check you all the time. There is a job out there for you that you will enjoy and that you will be strong in. But you do need to realise, autistic or not, that nine months probabtion should be long enough to learn the ropes. And if it isn't, then it just isn't the right environment for you. And I would say that to anybody, ND or NT in the same position. Just because you want the job, doesn't mean it's the right one for you.

No one has said that. Literally no one. And this is (I think, anyway) the OP's issue, she can't distinguish between someone requesting reasonable adjustments and demanding them in a really rigid way that treats not accommodating all of them immediately as equivalent to doing nothing. It's not. Similarly you, and she, seem to be taking advice that says "look at what you can change (no one is saying change what you are unable to due to your autism) rather than assuming that all the change needs to be made by other people" as some sort of enablist attack. It's really not. But are you really saying that all autistic people are completely unable to modify their behaviour? It might be hard, they might not be able to do it to so great an extent as NT people. But they can do it, and so if the question is "how do I hold on to a job irrespective of how suitable I am for it" - which it appears to be when it comes down to it, and there is only one piece of advice that fits: "behave as if you are a good fit". The OP may not be able to follow that advice, but it doesn't mean it isn't the right advice.

She needs to learn from it. Which, given her posts here, she hasn’t done. She’s very lucky she wasn’t immediately sacked for gross misconduct when it was discovered. The least she should have done was apologise, which she didn’t do. The company itself could be in hot water for this. I know she’s autistic but the law is still the law and it’s not fair that she puts others in this position.

As far as her behaviour in general, I’ve given plenty of advice. But unless she realises that reasonable adjustments aren’t a free pass to behave contrary to disciplinary procedures, she’s going to keep being let go. The key word in reasonable adjustments is reasonable. There will come a point where what the op wants in terms of adjustments just isn’t reasonable - especially for a busy team in consulting where the op is a graduate trainee and expected to be proactive.

She hasn’t a hope at tribunal, all the company will say is too many issues where she broke procedures multiple times and look at this gross misconduct she did - it’s clear in policy not to do xyz and she was warned and she still did it.

You are acting as if she's bloody up skirting people or going round filming people for her channel.
She already has explained herself here several times. I understand that it's something that is a personal trigger for you. Is there any punishment for her at this point that would satisfy you?

I have given my advice already.

Get the union involved.
It can be so difficult to navigate workplace politics and the unwritten arbitrary rules.
The cliques and hierarchies.
There needs to be support for people to keep their jobs as much as get jobs.
Union rep can be useful.

In my area 'Mind' have a workplace support service which can help support for a period and help with the barriers to staying in a placement. I wonder if that's a service in other areas too. Maybe gp could refer?

People need to work and not be written off or just told to "change attitude ", and there are definitely many aspects that people are saying here are a problem, which i think are a common issues in autism, so actually could be discrimination, especially if the company haven't followed guidelines properly.

What is your advice for the op?

The op breached UKGDPR! She recorded people,e without their consent. Of course she should apologise for that.

I think some posters here actually DO believe they're being helpful even when their 'advice' is basically
" urgh you are such an irritating cringey unprofessional person who clearly used AI to get your whole degree and you even asking for reasonable adjustments is so entitled! You should change your attitude and self reflect because you are going to get fired from every job you go for if you don't change.
Why are you not taking this advice. You just aren't professional. Stop being so defensive. I'm just trying to help "

You apologise for everything even when you don't need to. You That's what OP should aim for?
Your strategy that you've developed isn't necessarily healthy either.

Everyone's an individual until you want to use "Buutttt she's autistic" to defend the OP. It works both ways.

Where do I say all autistic people are the same or that she’s faking it? What is clear is that the OP is coming across as rude and dismissive. Autistic or not, this is not acceptable behaviour in the workplace.

You OK hun?

How about you offer the OP some advice if you don’t think what others are giving is doing the trick?

Either way, the OP is coming across as rude, dismissive and aggressive which will not endear her to employers.

Unfortunately much of it is extremely aggressive. The OP really needs to obtain some help from ND aware career coaches,

Fair call. I guess my focus was on the advice I thought I could take away myself for my own life and work in HR. I find many MN posters have very good insight and advice.

I'd say a few posters are over-invested and need to move on to the next pile on! But I guess we all read things differently and maybe it's time I followed my own advice - there's only so much of this "kindness and empathy" I can take.

Side note but for all the places where people say MN is an awful site - the amount of empathy, kindness, professional well considered advice and support the OP has received in here is astounding. Where else could one get free employment coaching like this? Great stuff I’m really impressed.

The OP is not listening to you and she was the one asking for advice - what next? You think you can wear her down and change her mind because you really care about her? Do you find this the usual way people behave in real life when they disagree with the advice you offer, do you just keep banging on until they admit defeat, having the last word - expecting to win? That must be exhausting.

But you are not helping. You feel she's not willing to listen. What are you going to do about that? Your choice - continue to attack her or go make yourself a cup of tea and get on with doing something more productive. Oh wise one - you surely know a better way for you to behave?

I don’t want to kick someone when they are down, I am trying to help the op but help only works if people are willing to listen to it. The op started many posts about how to find a job so she is wanting help and that is what I am trying to do.

I understood that she probably feels horrible about what has happened but feeling horrible and carrying a sense of grievance isn’t going to help her. She needs to reframe her mindset (I get that is very hard). I recommend she gets a job coach who can help her here.