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

[SereneRoseRobin]

I’m looking for honest views because I’m not sure whether I’m being unreasonable or whether this was genuinely unfair.

I was recently dismissed from a graduate/analyst role after my probation was extended. I am autistic, and my employer knew this. I had raised the need for clear written instructions, defined objectives, examples of similar work, timelines, and timely/direct feedback. Some support was put in place, including coaching, but I don’t feel the actual adjustments were properly embedded or reviewed before the decision was made.

The difficult part is that the concerns raised about me seemed mainly to focus on communication style, professional behaviour, asking for clarification, Teams messages, and quality assurance under pressure — rather than on whether I could actually do the analytical work. Some recent written feedback said my analytical skills were good, that my work did not contain relevant errors, that I was taking ownership, and that I sought support appropriately. Another person said I had picked up on a complex project well.

The project I was criticised on was not straightforward. I was a first-year graduate with no prior experience in that sector, and I was assigned open-ended/data-heavy modelling work with a lot of ambiguity and short deadlines. Some outputs were expected within hours or by the next day, so there was not much time for structured review. I also didn’t always get timely feedback while I could still act on it. Some feedback came months after the work had ended.
My probation extension was meant to allow support and coaching to take effect, but I was dismissed before the extension period had fully ended. I had submitted evidence of improvement the day before the decision, but I don’t feel it was properly discussed or considered.
The coaching report apparently said the benefit of coaching should be assessed after a longer period, because performance can dip while new strategies embed.

I’m appealing because I think they didn’t properly separate disability-related communication issues from actual capability, didn’t give recent improvement enough weight, and didn’t consider alternatives such as letting the extension run, providing clearer QA/communication frameworks, assigning more standard analyst work, or redeploying me to a more suitable team.

I’m not saying I was perfect. I know there were areas to improve. But I feel like I was assessed against unclear expectations, on complex work, without the timely feedback and structure that had already been identified as necessary for me.

AIBU to think this was unfair and potentially linked to disability discrimination/failure to make reasonable adjustments? Or is this just how probation works, and I should accept it and move on?

You’re joking aren’t you?

Recording a meeting without the knowledge or consent of the participants represents a serious breach of trust.

When a company records meetings, those recordings are subject to strict safeguarding measures and controlled access.

Employees rely on these protections, particularly when discussions may involve highly confidential or sensitive projects.

By contrast, an employee secretly recording a meeting circumvents these safeguards entirely.

This behaviour undermines professional standards, compromises confidentiality, and exposes the organisation to unnecessary risk.

For these reasons, covert recording is typically treated as gross misconduct and may lead to disciplinary action and in this case the employees dismissal.

im not sure how concerns raised quality assurance under pressure squares with output being so good they thought it was AI?

Thank you for getting it. There’s times when that being done to me would have had me suicidal - and I would have been at serious risk of harm if my location had inadvertently been disclosed.

With the right job it doesn’t have to be that way either. Sometimes it really is as simple as it just isn’t the right job. There’s always been autistic people who struggle with work. And there’s always been autistic people who don’t. The ones who didn’t back before adjustments were even a thing found jobs they were good at and thrived at. Surely that should be the aim rather than everyone trying to simply shoehorn themselves into a job they just can’t do?

One that works for everyone. That is really what reasonable adjustments are supposed to be. They are to make the work environment work for the person who needs them. This comes at a reasonable "cost" to the rest of the workforce, but neither the employer, nor the workforce is obliged to be nice and the adjustments are a balance between the individual's rights and everybody else's (yes even their nasty employer's right to make money).

It is an unpalatable truth but not every autistic person is going to be able to do the job they want, or even any job. 75% does seem high, but to determine whether it is too high, such that it indicates that reasonable adjustments are not being made, we'd need to know a lot more. Also, you need to remember that - just like all of us - autistic people may not be able to do a job for reasons outside of their autism. All people on this thread are doing is asking the OP to do some reflection on whether or not she could have (notwithstanding her autism) done things differently, i.e. don't assume straightaway that it is discrimination, failure to make adjustments and consider what else could have gone wrong (with the fairly obvious "I recorded a meeting against policy", notwithstanding the matters stated as mitigating circumstances, would be serious everywhere).

I think that's all it is. Not malicious prejudice.

This, how can it even have been a true recording if op was only one who knew it was being recorded so make have acted nefariously, or it was one work were also recording… why was she needing to also record it? For what purpose?

I’m guessing to use AI to transcribe it?

In my work, the only AI thats allowed is copilot, and you’re not allowed to record a meeting without the consent of all parties attending. Thinking about it, I’m wondering if the op’s thought process was “it’s already being recorded so it doesn’t matter if I record it too”?

if that is/was her thought process, that is something that she can work on and learn from. Don’t record anyone ever unless you’re sure you have permission. It’s also a bit shit not to apologise for that.

I see the reasonable adjustments as separate to or in addition to the gross misconduct. So the op had reasonable adjustments which she was using to help her to pass probation. But then she ballsed up by recording without permission and it was a cumulative thing.

I know im not expressing it well, but what I’m trying to get to is that she would’ve been let go for the recording of the meeting, regardless of her autism or other ND and regardless of reasonable adjustments. Im just not sure the op is seeing the recording of a meeting without permission and outwith the standard processes as that big of a deal.

I wonder if OP was using AI excessively in her work.
Data analysis is easily done by AI, although it can be inaccurate. I wonder if OP was using it not just for emails, but also transcribing the recorded meeting as someone said, and even doing parts of her job. Which is obviously gross misconduct.

This is another issue affecting the younger generations. AI is used to write essays and help students navigate their degree, leaving them without the skills they should have developed while getting their degree. And that time is lost then, you can't then add on the 3 years of learning you have missed, but you also won't be able to function in a job so you can develop the skills. It's awful

The difficult part is that the concerns raised about me seemed mainly to focus on communication style, professional behaviour, asking for clarification, Teams messages, and quality assurance under pressure — rather than on whether I could actually do the analytical work.

You don't seem to understand that the analytical work is only one part of what's required of you.

All other things you mention are important competencies that are a part of your role, just like the analysis is. They're not an optional add-on. They were part of your job and you were apparently unable to do them.

Some of the things you've listed here are serious, and frankly, if you communicate at work in the same way you're communicating here, that is likely to pose a problem in most workplaces.

ChatGPT will help you obsess over this. Stop using it and move on with your life :)

Honestly op. It's going to be very difficult to win this appeal. I'm not sure I'd bother trying. They can cite any sort of reason aside from discrimination for not keeping you on even if you did have some
positive feedback as well as negative. It's a decision based on the balance . The fact that they extended your probation will be argued that they wanted to give you every chance to improve before dismissing you. Big 4 culture is notoriously cut throat and you won't be the only one not kept on. Move on and try and find something more suitable.

I actually read back your posts after I thought you were even a bit weird in your replies to me just bc I said something supportive to the OP, and tbh I think maybe you just aren't very aware how you come across

Perhaps - I do try to be aware but I am autistic. Im also MASSIVELY triggered by the idea of a recording of (potentially) me being out there with me not being able to control it. That terrifies me.

(I have said both these on the thread)

Even if it was being in a meeting that was recorded by a young colleague who was transcribing it, and it was actually being recorded already and it was only on internal systems?

Yes. I was advised not to go home more than once when he was on bail because he was likely to make a better job of the attempt the next time.

I don’t want my image anywhere I can’t control it.

and yes. I’ve done the right to be forgotten with google, contacted former employers to make sure they don’t have any photos of me lurking around and deleted Facebook and insta.

I know to an extent I’ll be on cctv but the idea that some random has video of me that could be uploaded god knows where and used for eternity to train AI so it’ll lurk around forever and I don’t know the security posture of the company that was potentially used for the AI? Yes. I’m terrified. I’m at the highest possible level of risk from this man and his cronies. Verbatim quote from the police.

i took advice from the police - or rather, they came to me - and that was their advice. Part
of it. Don’t be video recorded if you can at all help it.

so I’m doing what they recommend.

i don’t understand why the op took the recording in the first place if it was being recorded anyway?

Bollocks! Are you openly ageist so think that describing the op as “young” is an ok to shitty, gross misconduct level behaviour?

I didn't read your posts as weird @Taztoy .

It's disappointing to find out a job you want is one you aren't good at. My first grad job was in the buying office of a major retailer. Dream job. I was shit at it. You don't have to be autistic to find yourself in a position that doesn't work out. But what op seems to struggle with is perception of unfairness, which is hard for anyone but a particular focus for ND people. And an unreal expectation of the level of help that reasonable adjustment means. OP, coaching is a great idea.

Absolutely horrible for you @Taztoy, I can’t get with the “awww but poor op… she’s young so should do what she wants poor lamb” rubbish

She didn't apologise.

What about my right to a reasonable adjustment?

what about the fact that what the op did is a gross misconduct?

Does she somehow get let off those because she’s autistic?

it’s dishonest and underhand it record people without their knowledge. And the op is planning to lie on her cv and at interview. About why she was let go from her last 2 jobs.

god forbid I should expect people to abide by work policies.

Actually autistic people are not just unemployed but under employed in big numbers and going by some of the awful posts on here it’s easy to see why. Why should autistic people just expect to take work way below their qualifications. Just no.

Autistic adults face some of the highest unemployment and underemployment rates of any demographic, with roughly 7 in 10 autistic adults out of work or in roles far below their qualifications. Despite wanting to work, systemic hiring barriers and workplace inflexibility leave many struggling to secure and maintain meaningful employment.
The Scope of the Problem
The Employment Gap: Official UK figures show that only about 34% of disabled people with autism are in employment, compared to 55% for all disabled people and 82% for non-disabled people.
The "Overqualified" Trap: Autistic university graduates are twice as likely to be unemployed after 15 months as non-disabled peers and are highly susceptible to underemployment (working in roles that do not reflect their true skills or capabilities).
The Pay Gap: Autistic individuals face the largest pay gap among disability groups, earning a third less on average than their non-disabled peers.
Key Barriers
Inaccessible Recruitment: Traditional hiring processes heavily prioritize unwritten social norms, such as eye contact, "small talk," and expressive body language, which can disadvantage autistic candidates.
Workplace Environment: Sensory overload, rigid management styles, and lack of accommodations (like quiet spaces or flexible hours) can lead to job loss or burnout.

It’s frankly not ok and autistic people are lambasted if they go on benefits and lambasted if they work. Things need to changes. The Buckland Review has many recommendations and many companies are not as poor as the one in the OP.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-buckland-review-of-autism-employment-report-and-recommendations/the-buckland-review-of-autism-employment-report-and-recommendations#making-recruitment-practices-meet-the-needs-of-autistic-applicants

Should the op be allowed to commit gross misconduct?

if it was gross misconduct the company would have fired me immediately. u have no idea what u r on about. give it a rest-- its unhelpful af