Nuerodiverse colleague

[moana35]

I am having a few problems with a colleague at work. She is neurodiverse so adjustments have had to be made but these adjustments are meaning that myself and my colleagues are doing alot more than we did before she was employed.

She is very black and white about time so she will not be at her desk until her digital smart watch says the start time on her contract and again she leaves at the exact time she is supposed to finish even if in the middle of something. Lunch is an hour but due to needing to re compress for the afternoon she needs to take 75 minutes as she needs to go for a walk and eat. She has to sit in front of a window which means all our places in the office have been changed.

From Monday we are not allowed to drink coffee at our desks anymore only tea as the smell makes her gag.

Aside from this she is a very good worker and gets her work done to a good standard but it is impacting on the morale of the team. She is also exempt from training mornings if they are "small room " based as she can't sit in a room with a big group of people. She will be allowed to do her training online.

Management say as she declared her nuerodiversity at interview these adjustments have to be made for her I get reasonable adjustments and I have an autistic son but are these adjustments reasonable to the rest of the team.

If we took 15 mins extra for lunch or asked our colleague to not drink coffee I am sure we would be spoken to by management,

Has anyone else come across this in the workplace.

Can’t wait to find out why you really actually don’t like this lady. 😂

The time that your employer's computer takes to start is work time, not your time. You should take your coat off in your own time. Their computer starts up in their time. You have no obligation to give your unpaid time to start their computer.

Re the 15 minutes extra lunch:

• If my sit-stand desk reasonable adjustment costs my employer money, I'm not expected to refund them the money.
• If my specialist mouse reasonable adjustment costs my employer money, I'm not expected to refund them the money.
• If a mobility impairment means that going between the office and the lab takes longer, I'm not expected to work overtime to compensate.

Therefore, if a disability requires a longer lunch break as a reasonable adjustment, the worker does not need to work overtime to "make the time up".

I wouldn’t be giving up my coffee for anybody. Regardless of anything else, as someone who is also ND I use it to help my concentration and focus. Tea doesn’t have the same effect.

I wish my colleagues wouldn’t eat egg sandwiches at their desks as it makes me gag, but there are some things you simply have to put up with in an office environment.

The not drinking coffee is unreasonable but everything else is fair enough I’d say.

Her 15 mins extra break are a reasonable adjustment, I assume you don’t know for sure whether this is paid or unpaid but either way for 15 mins I’m not sure what your issue is other than wanting to say it’s unfair because you don’t get it- fair doesn’t always mean totally equal.

Starting & leaving bang on time- why isn’t everyone doing that? Do you get paid overtime? Otherwise, follow her lead because she’s not the idiot there, you’re the one working for free.

It sounds like she is under a lot of stress in her own life (possibly a generational thing) and needs support. Not works problem or her colleagues but it could be worth exploring it to find out if it is is a short term issue or a long term one. You could explore through conversation how she's getting on in other areas of her life, if she was in an abusive relationship etc. Its ok supporting someone in the short term for a few months but if it is a long term thing she may need to accept she needs part time hours/other lifestyle changes

Which adds up to how much salary? £25 a week?

I don’t think that’s true. People should be more considerate to others in general. Why wouldn’t you? Do you not want to get on with your work colleagues?

As for needing coffee, fair enough, but you could have it in a cup with lid or have it away from your desk.

Sometimes humans are really disappointing.

We have agreements at our work that we try not to eat at our desks at all, and if you can't avoid it you don't eat anything smelly. It is perfectly possible to not make other people put up with things @LaserPumpkin

Neurodiversity is a fairly long term issue. Forever, in fact.

The no coffee thing would also absolutely not work for me. I need my coffee in the morning and it’s something I used to enjoy at my desk. It seems way beyond the scope of reasonable adjustments as it does have a negative impact on coworkers. And ok yes you can say it’s just coffee but having a caffeinated hot drink at work is one of life’s little pleasures.

I couldn't get worked up about 15 minutes a day but I'd completely ignore the no coffee rule.

Let me guess you all chatted over coffee and decided she did 1 1/4 hours a week less.
5 hours a month and multiplied it by her rate of pay.
Instead you could realize she has a hidden disability you won't know her full details about as she probably hasn't disclosed everything and you all made a judgement on her.
Nice.

Am sure her pay reflects the reduced working time, though? If she is an otherwise good worker, it is only the 15mins telephone cover that is really the issue, isn’t it? As the parent of autistic/ADHD children myself, I’d have hoped colleagues would be supportive and understanding. Perhaps ask her if having your coffees in a sealed/lidded mug resolves that issue?

I can’t drink from a cup with a lid and there is nowhere quiet to sit away from my desk - plus I’m sure management would be really happy for me to take 30 minutes away from my desk each time I need a coffee.

Dictating what coworkers eat and drink, unless there is a life-threatening allergy, is really not reasonable.

If we took 15 mins extra for lunch or asked our colleague to not drink coffee I am sure we would be spoken to by management

Because you don't need reasonable adjustments, presumably.

I would suggest its an hour and a quarter a week, rather than a day.
Does the time get docked off her wage? If not, why not?

The coffee thing is a typical ND response to strong smelling things. My eldest is autistic and coffee is one of the things he can’t stand, I’ve got ADHD and I’m exactly the same. Unfortunately we’ve got hyperosmia which means a heightened sensitivity to smells, strong perfume or aftershave is another thing I struggle with. I’m not saying banning coffee in the office is correct but I don’t think people realise how it affects ND people and it’s not someone being awkward for the sake of it or playing on it.

How so? You are all entitled to your lunch breaks, are you choosing not to take it?

What team at my place?

Management are at fault here.

the employee does not get to make final decisions about reasonable adjustments.

pragmatically it will involve a conversation between employee as to what they need, why they need it and how it enables them to be on a level playing field, then the employer decides if their requests are reasonable and affordable.

it doesn't sound like they have done rigorous enough assessment and your colleague is taking the p.

Yeah. Sounds a cracking team. Full of team players.

So basically she’s being paid 1 hour 15 mins a week for nothing and that’s 1 hour 15 mins away from her workload and putting onto other colleagues. I couldn’t work like that it would drive me insane honestly.

No reasonable employer is telling the rest of the team what someone’s contract says about pay or breaks. Or anything really.

It’s quite obviously confidential.

Im afraid drinking coffee is part of office life
I think the lidded cups is a reasonable compromise
There would be WW3 if anyone tried to van coffee, it not a reasonable adjustment

She’s taking her lunch and then an extra 15 mins after her lunch break to decompress each day.