Should I own up?

[LesleySM]

Hi

I'm 62 and have been moderately dyspraxic all my life. Of course when I went to school I was just the "clumsy kid" no-one wanted on their team at sports. I was only diagnosed about 10 years ago although I read a lot of stuff that made me think I was. The strange thing is apparently you can't type easily but somehow I ended up 17 years ago as a medical secretary! Most of those jobs involve really not much typing they are more PA work like organising meetings, answering phone calls etc, which is easy. I got my current job nearly 2 years ago and that really is mostly typing. My manager is gunning for me because I make the occasional mistake (background is she doesn't like me and everyone else in the office knows she picks on me) she is due to retire mid-December and has made it clear she won't be happy until she gets me sacked before she goes. I have not disclosed my dyspraxia should I?

[Tom fod]

Hi Lesley and welcome.

It's a difficult question. If you disclosed to this boss would she use that as additional ammo against you? Disclosure could protect your job but not necessarily you from this woman's nastiness. Personally I would like to think I would be making an official complaint about her bullying. Perhaps involve the Union and see if one of your colleagues would come on board as a witness and speak out against her behaviour. Then again you might want to bide your time while you wait out her retirement in 5 months or see if you can engineer a move, so she becomes someone elses problem.