Employment and DDA

[sp17]

Hi guys,

My first post on here not even sure where to start, typical eh

Well I work at a HE educational establishment in Marketing, which means, travelling, driving, presentations, being organised, planning events, liaising with different ages, repetition, different tasks daily etc etc,,,which all needs top class working memory as everyday is different and every experience is unique.

I got diagnosed with Dyspraxia, Dyslexia, ADD and Irlen Syndrome a few months into work when i was struggling with everything including anxiety/stress. I felt the initial relief but also confusion. I had to disclose it with my LM who also informed my team. However its been 6 months or longer with no real adjustments made and the team it seems have only been told very little of the SLDs however they are awaiting staff awareness training, which i hope will do me some justice. I have worked my socks off and they see potential in me but because im coping well they keep pushing me and wanting me to contribute more and up my game

I'm still awaiting more adjustments, which were recommended by ATW to be put in place by new years such as the coaching, softwares on PC and staff training plus my lenses for Irlen but im also thinking of calling it quits or looking at HR to rewrite a new contract or maybe create a new post or apply for another internal post. I'm struggling with anything with computers now and sitting in the office plus the communication is lacking but Im a good team player when it comes to planning events and attending visits to colleges/schools (anything spontaneously I can manage especially good feedback from students who i speak to).

Is it even possible under the DDA act to get a new adjusted contract or a new post? I'm also in the good books of the Director, who actually hired me as I'm also a recent graduate from the same university but I'm not sure how they would feel collectively. I'm just unable to show the enthusiasm i showed at the interview. They dont understand that my brain is continuously working, my eyes are screwed because of Irlen, my anxiety is related to all this. I just dont know what to do. The job is a nightmare for people with SLDs in my opinion but at times I feel its just me being a softie :/ Would you guys be able to work in this kinda fast events customer based industry?

Somedays I love the job and at times just wanna hide away :/

[Tom fod]

Hi SP13

Welcome to our forums and apologies your post seems to have gone unacknowledged so far. I know the feeling of wanting to hide some days too.

When you first learn of dyspraxia it's a shock and there is not a great deal of help support or advicee. We tend to have to work it out for ourselves, which takes time. We can very much be our own worst enemies insofar as we often have a tendency to work very hard to appear normal despite the fact that in some ways we are quite different, but no less able, to do things well in our own way if given the right degree/mix of flexibility, support and where required reassurance to help us build our confidence in the areas where we lack it.

It's not surprising we can become stressed/feel burned out as we do push ourselves. The DDA which is now enshrined under the Equality Act obliges employers to make reasonable adjustments. Unfortunately 'reasonable' is very subjective. It sounds like your employer is at least trying, though unfortunately both you and they are still trying to establish what it all means and in the meantime things are carrying on in a way that is not helping you.

I hope this helps in some way. Please feel free to post anymore questions that might occur to you.

[sp17]

Hi Tom,

Thanks for reply. I definitely agree with you on just making the effort to fit in on a daily basis takes a lot of my energy from just small talk, questions to appearing interested and fitting in etc.. plus the same feeling when at home and with family

Yeah the term reasonably adjustments makes it very difficult especially if non of the parties involved understand the term and every job is different.

[sp17]

Hi Tom,

Thanks for reply. I definitely agree with you on just making the effort to fit in on a daily basis takes a lot of my energy from just small talk, questions to appearing interested and fitting in etc.. plus the same feeling when at home and with family

Yeah the term reasonably adjustments makes it very difficult especially if non of the parties involved understand the term and every job is different.

Anyone had any big changes or issues with work?