Update on discrimination of ADHD in workplace

[Angie_2023]

After my stigmatisation by public service as outcast with adhd, I am pushed more and more to the edge of society. Since then I had two non for profit jobs. I alway look for jobs, but they do not last long, regardless of hard effort and no issues with performance. I had a 2 FWC cases and one is pending claiming general protection disability discrimination. Do not understand dismissal decisions for these government jobs. When each dismissal is putting me and my daughter into spiral of poverty and violence. Giving me next job by government by goodie organisation followed by very far fetched, explanation about dismissing me, can only trigger aggression from my partner, who with unproductive, useless women is more and more incline to vent all anger and use me as punching bag. My daughter could end up homeless and living in poverty if this adhd or as they call adhd - addict witch-hunt continues. 

[Angie_2023]

I don’t know exactly, but sometimes 2 years ago I became this massive bundle of trauma. I could not see anything beyond the hurt, and heavy weight of injustice. When trying to articulate, communicate to my husband, he took as the opportunity to turn his back at me, and blame me. He blamed me, for my weakness. Regardless of presenting to him, facts, evidence of people bullying me at work.. accusing me of nasty things, he would never be on my side. Even now when he believes that people wanted to hurt me on purpose. He thinks that I should put this behind. Or recently, he said that I should go to Bali for bit,” It is dirt cheap, at the moment”.

He also thinks that this could not be right, that person with ADHD who is using medication, has been discriminated in public service job, to the point that manager brought the police to use some nasty harassment treatments, including co-workers watching video of me working remotely from home.

He thought that ordinary middle-aged woman, mother of two older children, who do not go parting and do not drink or smoke. Could not be tagged as the risk to the community, as defined by her condition, she takes medication to be able to work. Without the treatment, she will no longer be productive, reverting to disorganised mess. As demonstrated, she was productive for long time, with number of jobs in public service, with each job suddenly ending with vague explanation and snowball effect of suspicion and rumours about her, treatment, and lifestyle. The snowball picked everything which could potentially demonised her. I told once, to one remote co-worker who was living in Brisbane, that I used to live there. In the following gov job, my Brisbane period was questioned, as potential time when I must have committed all the crimes, with no record in ACT. I have never lived in Brisbane, and only visited my parents in law during holiday, who were from Queensland small town. I also hold WWVP card and clear police check.

The Brisbane has popped few times after this job, when people were asking me if I ever lived there.

On number of occasions, I was accused of violence in the office. The legal actions are still going on. With one pending FWC case, and 2 finalised. The tactic, to get rid of person with ADHD with the burden of medication was always the same;

Let’s talk about her between each over loudly, but don’t use her name, do not refer to her directly. To make appearance that we are talking about someone else, even if in one instance, they were pointing to my post on Instagram account about visiting Penang and they were reading my post aloud. The notion was that I was imagining them talking about me, because they were talking about someone else. With the snowball of 5 gov jobs grew bigger and bigger with all kinds of personal information, they collected about me, evaluating which word has the biggest impact.

The same happened with video which was provided to them, and they were commenting video, featuring my room, without me.

Therefore, my complaint that co-workers were bullying me, was invalid as it could only demonstrate the ongoing psychosis and requirement for medical intervention.

The sneaky act of diverting people with substance problem, could be beneficial. Very clean act of washing their hands, by gaslighting the suspect. But what about the people, who are with ADD condition, when their cognitive ability is not going to improve or change. Should their life in the society be destroyed, by policy makers, law enforcement authorities with their purging agenda.

At the end for these actions, there is my kind and beautiful daughter, who could end up homeless and living in poverty with her mum saved from the devil (denied work).

[Angie_2023]

My degraded existence has been shaped by these who rejected me /public co-workers using their accusing, labelling power to define me as not suitable to work, with invention of risk assessment reasons. Demonising, any little fact out fished out my biometric profile.

I have nightmares, of woman from work reading aloud report written by policy officer, who hated me, and put in the HR report list of insults and accusations.

This policy officer was so bright that when before election I said that I will be voting for Anthony. A. she asked. and who is Anthony. A? looking at me, like I am inventing some strange gibberish. No wonder that in her report sent to HR, she just made me look like I am criminal, mental woman who should be locked for ever.

There is no path towards recovery for me. It is my daughter, who is paying the cost of other people harassing and rejecting me. It is her, who will not have any holiday, nutritious food, security, internet. Etc. It is so unfair, that person with disability has been treated this way by public servants. And they have no remorse, how never-ending damage they did to me and to my daughter.

[Sophie_M]

Hi there Angie_2023,

We thank you for taking the time to share your story here on the forums. We can hear from your post that you've been going through an incredibly hard time, no one should ever feel discriminated against especially in the workplace. We acknowledge your feelings, please be kind to yourself during this time. If you want to talk it through with our lovely counsellors, please call 1300 22 4636 or head to our webchat.  We’re sure we’ll hear from the community soon, but in the meantime, here’s a few things you might find helpful: 

• HeadsUp’s leaflet on Taking care of yourself after losing your job 
• HeadsUp’s information page on Workplace Bullying 
• Information on unfair dismissal from the FairWork.Gov 

It is wonderful that you have been able to reach out for support here on the forums. We're sorry again that you have had to go through this experience, we know it can be an isolating time, please know that the community is always here. You never know who might read this thread and feel less alone in their own experience.  

Kind regards, 

Sophie M