Uncovering Sensibilities: rethinking axioms in the world of work for autistic people

Uncovering Sensibilities: rethinking axioms in the world of work for autistic people

By Lap Gong Leong?

Current social mores and long held axioms in the world of work are preventing autistic people from finding good jobs and building rich and fulfilling careers.

In my opinion, the cause of the chronic unemployment among disabled people in America and Britain can be attributed to unintentional “soft” discrimination and employers focusing on stereotypical super skills rather than the real-life talents.

To ameliorate this chronic crisis, companies ought to view their autistic applicants as individuals with differing talents from a world of backgrounds, just as they see neurotypical applicants. Employers will then recruit the best autistic people for their desired competencies and reduce the unemployment rate.?

Despite the rise of Autism Work programs and other charitable organizations that focus on finding, recruiting, and retaining autistic talent for corporate partners, Autistic unemployment is ruefully chronic. According to a 2015 survey by the A.J Drexel Autism Institute, only 58% of autistic young adults in their early twenties have ever worked after high school. Far lower than the 95% and 91% employment rates for similar aged people with learning disabilities, speech impairment, and emotional disturbances. The same study found that 42% of the studied cohort “never worked for pay.” (p.2) Conversely, employment figures for higher functioning autistic people are rosier. Alisha Ohl, a Professor of Occupational Therapy at Clarkson University, conducted a comparative study in 2017. She and her team surveyed 254 adults with ASD. Their study concludes

"Of the 254 adults with ASD who participated in this study, 61.42% were employed and 38.58% were unemployed. Over half of the participants reported job imbalance on the Short ERI Scale and the vast majority did not receive any job assistance. Participants who disclosed their ASD diagnosis to their employer were more than three times as likely to be employed than those who did not disclose. Education level was also a significant predictor of employment status.”?

In essence, autistic employees are NOT being burdensome on the social safety net and more likely to be employed depending on educational background. This unemployment crisis is not limited to the United States. In the United Kingdom, according to the National Autistic Society’s study of Office of National Statistics (ONS) data, only 22% of autistic adults are in any paid work. 75% still live with their parents, compared with 16% of disabled people generally. Autistic people also report higher levels of anxiousness. These problems continue to manifest despite strong legislation in Westminster, such as the Autism Act of 2010.?

From my experience, there is a deeper malaise within the autistic people and their families that extends far beyond limited legislation and bad governance. From early intervention, to special education, to college programs, most autistic people often live in a patchwork sanctuary that doesn’t always prepare them for a working life. In fact, it is in the autistic person’s interest to stay in school or live a monitored life for as long as possible because they and their families have access to greater resources such as Medicaid. Even wealthier parents with autistic children will often try to extend this “adolescence” with special needs trusts or services that shadow their lifetime progress. While not a classic “culture of dependency”, this can prevent autistic people from finding a sense of independent autonomism, even with the best of intentions from their support group. As the BBC reports

"If they do secure a job, some autistic employees find the work belittling. When Dan Peters worked at a supermarket, people assumed he was intellectually limited and assigned him to bag groceries. "They discriminated because of their stereotypes and gave me low brain power jobs," he said." (BBC).?

How can you build independence with these positive and negative stereotypes?

Especially when the BBC also reports that "It’s generally advisable for job applicants to wait until the interview to disclose autism. A recent study by researchers at Rutgers and Syracuse universities found that when people revealed in their cover letters that they had Asperger syndrome, a form of autism, they were about 25% less likely to be contacted by the employer than those who didn’t mention a disability." (BBC).?

Autistic people, (un) intentionally are still visualized with their stereotypical skills and oddities in mind. They are assumed to hold super skills and great limitations that can be a boon or burden to free enterprise. Rather than pass more legislation that won’t be enforced or followed, employers and corporations must start seeing autistic people as unique individuals with bespoke drawbacks and talents like everyone else.

Isn’t that the philosophy of American life??

Citations

1. Ohl A, Grice Sheff M, Small S, Nguyen J, Paskor K, Zanjirian A. Predictors of employment status among adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Work. 2017;56(2):345-355. doi: 10.3233/WOR-172492. PMID: 28211841.
2. Roux, Anne M., Shattuck, Paul T., Rast, Jessica E., Rava, Julianna A., and Anderson, Kristy, A. National Autism Indicators Report: Transition into Young Adulthood. Philadelphia, PA: Life Course Outcomes Research Program, A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, 2015.
3. Are autistic individuals the best workers around? (BBC)

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[This essay was originally written and submitted as an optional essay as part of the application process to the Columbia School of General Studies for the Fall 2021, entering class.]

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[Each week, I join Lap Gong Leong, a colleague in weekly conversation; Lap is an emerging writer and commentator on a wide range of topics including politics, education, film, science fiction, and building a prosperous and free society for all. His analysis and critique aims to break through the logjam of conventional ideas and wisdom, especially as it relates to the careers and lives of individuals with Autism. We are pleased to share the 18th piece of writing from our recent exchanges.

About?Lap Gong Leong: A graduate of?the?Borough of Manhattan Community College?in Liberal Arts,?"I am in the process?of transferring to a four-year university. However, the lack of Autistic aids for many individuals, including myself has incentivized me to work for myself."?A resident of NYC, Lap also divides his time between Hong Kong and Singapore.]