Why are accommodations for autistic people often seen as unfair?

[YourPoisedFinch]

In my last job, I received some accommodations and explained them to colleagues when they asked why I was coming in late. Instead of understanding, they accused me of fraud and faking my condition to get special treatment. This isn’t just my experience—many people with mental health conditions and other invisible disabilities face similar challenges. They’re either not believed and resented for receiving accommodations or believed but then negatively stereotyped.

As per an ongoing debate on WFH on another thread, there are so many jobs these days that aren't measured in time spent at work. That extra bit of time someone gets in the morning may enable them to be much more productive throughout the day than they would have been after travelling during rush hour, for example. Not every job is a clock in/clock out type where it really matters exactly when you're at your post.

It's about equity. Accommodations enable people to carry out their role from a level playing field with their peers. It's not about a lighter workload or fewer hours, it's multi faceted and each person is an individual with different meds.

Whilst I'm able to take more breaks than you, quick ones when I freeze or lose focus so I need to get up and move around, I can guarantee that I'll get more done than you when I'm in the zone. Some of this is because I'm focusing on my job, not on my colleagues.

Since I was diagnosed and accommodated, I've achieved much, much more than previously and I now lead a team.

Ultimately, I don't work less than you, I just work differently. Respect that.

Just 15% of autistic adults are in full-time employment and only 9% in part-time employment. So for everyone complaining about reasonable adjustments when the OP is employed, presumably everyone is happy to pay for benefits for the 76% of autistic adults who don’t work - often to the detriment of their mental health and self-esteem as well as their finances?

It’s incredibly difficult. I have a thing that would entitle me to accommodations but I’ve never pursued it. I’m lucky that the work I do, the way my manager operates and the flexible work arrangements are very helpful to me getting through on the down-low (mostly).

I can understand the feelings of unfairness. While we may say that, for example, having children is a choice whereas disability isn’t, it’s not that simple. Childcare still falls mostly on mothers and frankly things are fucking unfair for them too. Generalising, we as a society need those kids and we want mothers and disabled people to be working. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.

@YourPoisedFinch for goodness' sake please advise if you still do the same hours, or reduced hours for the same pay. The latter is not reasonable adjustments, it is plain unfair.

Starting late to miss busy trains etc, fine. But you should be paid for the hours you work, which is less than those who start 'on time'.

Being disabled isn't some magical 'get away with whatever you want pass', if you want to be treated with equality then that's what you get. If you work 6 hours you get paid for 6 hours, the same as everyone else who isn't disabled

@Snorlaxo what sheer ignorance you show! Absolutely insulting

🫶👆

Oh, and you don't need to disclose a diagnosis to request reasonable adjustments. You disclose your support needs and requirements to those who need to know, and everyone else can mind their own business. 😉

@YourPoisedFinch absolutely ignore the likes of @TallulahBetty. You have come for support and this is just awful behaviour.

Equity is not always a good idea, it is positive discrimination, after all. Equality of treatment is better - that might involve a pay cut if coming in late every day, which no-one would see as unfair.

You don't need a formal diagnosis to request adjustments. Just in case that helps you.

Lots of people have conditions that are never diagnosed.

diagnosed adults. I can think of quite a lot of adults who almost certainly have autism but have never got a diagnosis.

In my experience, a lot of people just don’t get it. I have my desk that is a set desk away from the main office, everyone else hot desks. People think it’s unfair (and to be honest fuck hot desking, everyone hates it) but if I had to hot desks I simply would not be productive. I think people assume I have got these adjustments because they make my life more convenient and easy, but actually it comes down to me being able to do my job. The hot desking system is an inconvenience for most people, but to me it’s not just an inconvenience.
Also, people don’t seem to complain or mind when they’re asking me for help or favours because they can’t complete things.

How do you know you have them then! I’m not challenging, more pondering. On that basis the whole uk workforce could request reasonable adjustments.

It's worth having a bit more knowledge before you go shouting at people.

I am (quite profoundly) disabled. My employer doesn't have to make accomodations. They have to make reasonable adjustments.

They don't have to do things that would be a great cost to them /other employees or harm their business. They have to do things they can reasonably do.

It's not obviously linked to the disability, is it? It's not like needing a ramp for a wheelchair.

I am not clear why an autistic employer would be late more than others.

People don't understand the connection so think that it's not needed and/or is going too far.

Literally this. Disabled people are often terrified to re-enter/enter the work force because they will have to fight not only employers for reasonable accommodations but the colleagues who don’t understand them and feel privy those personal details. It’s incredibly intimidating and I know many who find it too overwhelming before the actual job even begins.

Yet, people will then complain they aren’t contributing.

I think part of the issue is with some messaging around autism eg "it's a superpower" or "it's higher evolution" or "not a disability just a difference". There is a large group of people advocating Nd sending the message that autism isn't a disability so when people who are able to work ask for RA due to autism being a disability it raises questions.

(I do believe autism is a disability- I'm not arguing that).

And if everyone ‘chose’ not to have children the consequences would be pretty dire for the country (as evidenced in multiple countries with low fertility rates where governments are trying desperately to encourage women to have children by offering all kinds of incentives).

So yes, having children is not the same as a disability but accommodations should still be made for working parents where possible.

It is very clearly linked to the disability and your lack of understanding of that disability, and how it limits a specific person, is not important. Regardless of what you think of your shared employer has decided it is reasonable and the accommodation is in place it’s not your concern.

Why do you think you are entitled to that information?

this (just requoting as I thought it a good answer!)

Yes they would

The question is why do the other employees consider it unfair, not whether or not it is unfair for OP to have accommodations. Nobody is saying that OP shouldn’t have accommodations - she should if they can be accommodated.

The businesses who can accommodate employees’ other problems that are not covered by legal obligation eg transport issues will have happier employees who stay longer and depending on the nature of the work, they aren’t unreasonable to hope that accommodations would be considered for them too.