Blog | Autism Foundation of Oklahoma

Dec 20

Inclusive Employment Blog Series- Part Three: The Experience Contradiction

By Brandon Orozco Autism, Featured, Workforce Development

A common employment issue that baffles many Autistic individuals and Neurotypicals alike is what I call the Experience Contradiction. I often see this with companies with unrealistic expectations for entry-level work positions. In other words, the common phrase, “to gain experience, you need experience,” is a puzzling concept because it seems that the only way to garner experience is by being paid or having an official role in an organization. However, there are many ways to gain experience that is not official or paid and still reap the same benefits.

Applicable work experience refers to the skills, ability, and knowledge that closely aligns with the job description (Thottam, 2022). It is important for employers and employees alike to note that experience can be gained by unconventional means such as watching videos, reading books, volunteering, and working at other unrelated jobs. The transferable knowledge you gain from these activities is more valuable than how candidates obtain it. Jobseekers often appear more valuable to employers because they have transferable knowledge and know how to show it. Therefore, gathering knowledge in all the ways you can and learning how to promote your relevant life experiences is critical in a competitive job market.

With this in mind, I would like to point out some of the applicable experiences I have seen and experienced firsthand. I remember being a part of an interview with a college student who did not believe she had relevant experience to apply for a position because her only prior work experience was as a cashier. She did not realize that she had gathered significant transferable knowledge and essential job skills that were still relevant to the position. She didn’t realize that having the same exact job before was not required and that much of her cashier experience would transfer to the new role. Of course, it depends on the position level and how much experience the employer wants, but do not let it deter you if it is within a reasonable range.

Secondly, I recall not feeling confident about having leadership skills that many applications inquire about due to a lack of leadership experience at my previous jobs. However, when an opportunity to start a Professionals in Human Resources Association (PIHRA) chapter at my university arose, I took the initiative to implement the student organization and become its first president. Even though it was a volunteer opportunity, it allowed me to gain important leadership experience. I used my experience to become a Talent Acquisition team lead by acknowledging my previous experience. The key for me was to get creative and seize an opportunity. The leadership experience I sought snowballed from there.

Another aspect of showing your experience is to think outside the box when identifying your relevant job skills. Every job description lists the desired skills needed for a position. Some common skills are problem-solving, critical thinking, decision-making, people management, judgment, and creativity, but you do not necessarily need a job to gain these skills (Thottam, 2022). Once again, notice that you do not need a previous job to begin learning about or implementing these skills because they are the underlying mechanism of performing tasks, not the execution. In other words, you use critical thinking skills to perform tasks, but critical thinking skills alone are not the task. Candidates with direct experience are often favored over those without because they have already shown how they perform previous tasks by utilizing those skills. Therefore, to be competitive with employers that value experience, you must be prepared to announce and explain how your relevant knowledge and skills will help you perform the job’s duties.

It is important not to undermine your non-workplace experience in interviews. Stay optimistic about building your capacities and constantly look for new opportunities. Entry-level positions are designed for this concept yet are often marred by unrealistic experience expectations and poor job analysis. Therefore, focus on learning and finding employers who will cherish your presence and relevant experiences and want to develop them further instead of those only focused on short-term gain. Most importantly, never sell yourself short!

Brandon Orozco is the AFO Workforce Development Project Assistant and holds a BS degree in Psychology with a dual minor in Philosophy and Business Management. Brandon is pursuing an MS in Human Resource Management from Claremont Graduate University and was the founder and President of the Professionals in Human Resources Association (PIHRA) student chapter. Brandon is an Autistic self-advocate and has previous experience being a Talent Acquisition Team Lead for a rising tech startup and enjoys sharing his lived experiences and perspectives.

Sources

Thottam, I. (2022). Should you still apply for a job if you don’t have enough experience? https://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/should-i-still-apply-for-a-job-if-i-dont-have-years-of-experience

Dec 13

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Inclusive Employment Blog Series- Part Two: Unicorn Bias

By Brandon Orozco Autism, News, Workforce Development

Something that is often overlooked in the quest to find qualified candidates is the unconscious discrimination that can occur when unchecked. In this way, I propose that overly favoring experience when unnecessary could be viewed as a marker of discrimination. While there may be no legal repercussions for doing this, it is no less damaging to candidates, especially neurodiverse individuals. The reason is that it leads to exclusionary practices that favor the few but ignore the many.

To illustrate, I noticed that while discriminating based on a protected class, such as race or disability, is forbidden; there are other ways to accomplish the same “goal” while not being explicit. For example, a recruiter cannot deny a candidate because of skin color or disability but can reject a candidate who does not have “adequate” experience. This is why job analysis is critical when crafting a job ad because it can deter qualified candidates or eliminate them later in the process. It is important to note that the intention may be sincere, but the execution is the issue and what causes many candidates to be left out. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that experience is necessary for the position and not an afterthought or leftover from another job ad.

Next, I have spoken on some types of hiring bias that occurs in interviewing, but there is another that seems harmless but plays a big part in overlooking qualified candidates. That hiring bias is what I call the Unicorn bias and occurs when a candidate appears to be “perfect” and creates unrealistic expectations. To elaborate, I chose a unicorn because it is a mythical creature that does not exist, but the pursuit becomes the goal. In this way, the unicorn in this context symbolizes a candidate that nearly or very much checks every box that a recruiter is looking for. The issue arises when the pursuit becomes the goal and begins to cloud the recruiter’s judgment of reality at the expense of qualified candidates. No one is perfect, and the reality is that the vast majority of qualified candidates will not appear as unicorns and thus get overlooked.

I personally experienced this bias when I thought I had found a unicorn during an interview. This person matched almost all the boxes a recruiter could dream of and seemed easy to accept in the company. However, this person had lots of experience and should have been interviewing for higher-level positions, but they were under the impression they needed lots of experience to be considered. With this said, after seeing this “unicorn” with my own eyes, it was difficult to interview other candidates who were not as mythical as that. As discussed, it is important to reset after every interview and acknowledge challenges or issues with every candidate, no matter how extraordinary they appear. Another truth is that the likelihood of encountering another unicorn afterward is slim, and pursuing them will cause other candidates to be left out.

This unicorn bias is especially troubling for hiring neurodiverse individuals. After all, they will most likely not appear as unicorns because many of them need access to the kinds of experiences that are expected. Moreover, many neurodiverse individuals have unique needs and challenges that make it difficult for them throughout the recruiting process. However, the workplace comprises a vast and diverse group of people that are not unicorns but are still employed. Plenty of employees in workplaces today do not meet all or most of the checkboxes but are still employed, and some do better than they were at the time of the interview.

The key is to realize that “qualified” candidates cover multiple areas such as skillset, culture fit, previous jobs, volunteering, and attitude. Naturally, which is favored over others depends on the job and company culture. Also, notice that experience is only one facet to consider and that any other aspect will have pros and cons, depending on the job.

Brandon Orozco is the AFO Workforce Development Project Assistant and holds a BS degree in Psychology with a dual minor in Philosophy and Business Management. Brandon is currently pursuing an MS in Human Resource Management from Claremont Graduate University and was the founder and President of the Professionals in Human Resources Association (PIHRA) student chapter. Brandon is an Autistic self-advocate and has previous experience being a Talent Acquisition Team Lead for a rising tech startup and enjoys sharing his lived experiences and perspectives.

Dec 06

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Inclusive Employment Blog Series- Part One: Experience vs. Qualifications Paradox

By Brandon Orozco Autism, News, Workforce Development

A major area of contention in the Talent Acquisition field is the role of experience and how valuable it is. Indeed, the very thing that can lead to finding the most qualified candidate in one situation is not always the best option. I call this the Experience vs. Qualification paradox because experience is often overvalued when in reality, it could be unnecessary.

Firstly, there are distinctions between experience and qualifications that should be noted for better clarification. Qualifications pertain to the skills, training, and education learned and help prepare candidates for future roles (LinkedIn editorial team, 2021). Experience pertains to work that has already been completed and showcases the candidate’s skill, knowledge, and abilities (LinkedIn editorial team, 2021). While these two definitions share many similarities, the differences are where the issue becomes noticeable. Notice that experience is the application of past work, while qualifications are the preparation for future work. The issue then seems to be that many roles are misclassified as entry-level when in reality, they are not.

The issue becomes more salient when we examine the pros and cons of qualifications and experiences. The pros of qualifications are that candidates can build their knowledge through education and many companies require or prefer specific degrees (Aspire Personnel, 2022). The con of qualifications is that education is not always valued/necessary and presents many uncertainties about how candidates will perform on the job. The pros of experience are that it shows a practical application of daily work and shows what qualities candidates exhibited in past work (Aspire Personnel, 2022). The con of experience is that previous experience is required and that tenure does not mean much if it does not apply to the job. The idea is to have a mix of the two, but that is only sometimes possible, and one or the other will sometimes be valued over another, depending on the situation/job.

Taken together, the question that needs to be asked is when is experience necessary for a job and when is it not? Unfortunately, many employers seem to favor experience like a crutch that should be mandatory in a job description or, at the very least, considered favorably. What we see are many employers placing experience on a pedestal regardless of the job type or position on an organizational chart. For example, entry-level positions usually will have experience prerequisites built into them that typically are unnecessary for the job. As a result, many qualified candidates are overlooked or removed because they still need to meet the experience requirement. The fallout for the candidates is the sense that they are not able to showcase their knowledge, skills, and abilities because they were not able to show them elsewhere. Likewise, the fallout for organizations is that they miss out on potential great fits because they did not meet the one fit that “mattered.”

The reasoning for favoring experience is sound but is shortsighted and devoid of risk. For example, a common reason for favoring experience is that the candidate has shown how they will react to situations and tasks on the job. In effect, it eliminates the risk of candidates being unable to perform the job, leading to greater productivity and lower turnover. The reason is that there is already evidence that the candidate can do the job and will perform well because they have done it before. However, where does that reasoning apply to an entry-level position where the goal is to get a foothold in an organization and build from there? In the future, the message becomes to get a foothold in another organization or show us what you did for someone else and then come with us.

Indeed, that line of argument is most applicable for more leadership and senior positions in an organizational chart where the consequences of the candidate being unable to do the job are most severe. For instance, an employee in a leadership or senior position needs to have experience because they are most likely overseeing other operations and need to see the big picture and how it relates to everything. However, the entry-level employee is usually placed in the “weeds” or the ground level where they have tasks to complete, and how well they do determines the operation’s overall efficiency.

Therefore, the consequences of “failure” or losing employees get progressively more severe the higher up the chain of an organizational chart. However, there is little justification for experience in entry-level positions other than the momentary loss of money for losing candidates. Admittingly, losing employees is a costly endeavor that should be minimized but is a reality of the workplace no matter what. The truth is there is still uncertainty for candidates with experience, and the same issues can still arise. Because of this, a thorough job analysis should be conducted to ensure what qualifications are helpful or mandatory, and especially check if experience is necessary.

Sources

Indeed Editorial Team (2021). Experience vs. Qualifications: Differences and Importance. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/experience-vs-qualifications

Aspire Personnel (2022). Qualifications Vs. Experience: what matters most? https://www.aspirepersonnelltd.co.uk/qualifications-vs-experience-blog/

Nov 21

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Autism Foundation of Oklahoma Offers Gift Giving Guide for the Holiday Season

By Emily Scott Autism, Holidays, News, Parenting, Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Autism Foundation of Oklahoma

November 22, 2022

Autism Foundation of Oklahoma Offers Gift Giving Guide for the Holiday Season

The Autism Foundation of Oklahoma (AFO) has partnered with local retailers to offer holiday gift suggestions for those with loved ones that have autism and other neurodevelopmental disabilities.

From toddlers to teenagers, AFO’s first-ever gift-giving guide includes sensory-friendly and educational items available at Oklahoma City retailers The Learning Tree and Blue7. The guide also provides information about the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum’s Cowboy Kids Club. The museum recently became the first certified autism center in Oklahoma through the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES), a certification AFO also recently received.

Emily Hayes, Early Childhood Project Coordinator of the Autism Foundation of Oklahoma, comments, “Finding the perfect gift for loved ones can be challenging. Here at the Autism Foundation of Oklahoma, we want to help support and guide families to find gifts that can be both functional and fun. The items in our gift guide can help promote motor skills, sensory integration skills, social skills, language skills, and daily living skills while also being a fun, innovative item for the gift receiver.

The guide’s categories include sensory-friendly items, gifts to encourage movement, cognitive stimulation, and daily living support. Specialists specifically selected gifts found in this guide to promote unique skills. Depending upon age, gifts might emphasize sensory integration exploration, gross motor development, teaching cause and effect, hand-eye coordination, spatial reasoning, strengthening fine motor skills, tactile exploration and support of speech, color recognition, math, and language activities.

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About Autism Foundation of Oklahoma

The Autism Foundation of Oklahoma’s mission is to improve the quality of life for Oklahomans with autism and their families. AFO’s programs provide education, advocacy, professional development, and individual and family support across the lifespan.

Media Contact

Emily Hayes, Project Coordinator

ehayes@autismfoundationok.org / (918)527-7722

PRINT THE GUIDE HERE

Sep 30

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Disclosure Paradox

By Brandon Orozco Autism, Research

A common struggle that Autistic individuals face when applying for jobs and even within jobs is the decision to disclose their disability to hiring managers or supervisors. On the surface, it may seem obvious to disclose a disability because there are protections in place that allow for accommodations to be granted to those that want them. Underneath, however, harbors a psychological struggle that can make it difficult to decide whether or not to disclose. This struggle is what I call the Disclosure Paradox because it suggests that internal and external factors can mar a seemingly beneficial decision.

To better grasp the concept, it is important to define what stigma is before examining its complexity. Merriam-Webster defines stigma as a mark of shame or an identifying characteristic (Merriam-Webster, 2022). With this in mind, we can begin to see the underlying notions present when speaking about disabilities or Autism. In fact, the definition can apply to a wide array of things but can be harmful because of its attribution to Autistic individuals. Taken together, the stigma of Autism that is commonly assumed is that Autistic individuals have a mark of shame or identifying characteristic that makes them different from others. This attribution pours into both self-perception and what others perceive, which adds to the self-fulfilling prophecy that Autistic individuals do not live up to society’s expectations.

Speaking of expectations, it is essential to notice that the issue presented thus far is psychological and affects both the Autistic individual and other people, commonly interviewers. Namely, there are underlying assumptions made by recruiters that picture Autistic individuals as either incompetent or savants (Rosa, 2018). For example, media portrayals and stereotypical assumptions paint Autistic individuals as either needing too much support or nearly perfect for not a lack of social skills. As a result, these unrealistic expectations make it difficult for Autistic individuals to be authentic because they fear they may be unfairly treated or held to impossible standards.

Delving deeper, stigma is rooted in stereotypes which are collective opinions about groups of people and can lead to prejudice and discrimination if accepted and manifest in negative emotional reactions or actions (Mayer et al., 2021). As a result, Autistic individuals struggle with disclosing their disability because they do not want adverse treatment and unrealistic expectations thrust upon them. Collectively, this psychological battle being waged is indeed fought by Autistic individuals and can create battle wounds such as negative self-esteem and self-stigma. This more extreme version of stigma is personal and can cause lower self-efficacy and self-respect, resulting in hopelessness and decreased help-seeking (Mayer et al., 2021).

With this said, it makes the decision to disclose difficult because of competing interests that lead to varying outcomes. On the one hand, disclosing could affect social interactions, belonging, and psychological well-being if negatively received (Mayer et al., 2021). On the other hand, non-disclosure can seemingly protect from stigma but makes it more difficult to find support and lead to greater burdens to carry (Mayer et al., 2021). Once again, the disclosure paradox rears its head and shows the fears associated with disclosure. In fact, the main issue seems to stem from the uncertainty that accompanies it and how it will be received.

I understand the struggles of disclosure and have encountered the same hypotheticals that have kept me from disclosing and receiving the help I could have gotten if not for the uncertainties. However, there should be no uncertainty, and businesses need to accept that everyone is unique and has unique needs. There is no reason why protected classes need to feel that they will be adversely affected by disclosing, and it is something that needs to be addressed. The way forward involves reconfiguring workplace culture so that disclosure is another benefit of the workplace instead of a detriment that should be suppressed and ignored.

Brandon Orozco is the AFO Workforce Development Project Assistant and holds a BS degree in Psychology with a dual minor in Philosophy and Business Management. Brandon is currently pursuing a MS in Human Resource Management from Claremont Graduate University and was the founder and President of the Professionals in Human Resources Association (PIHRA) student chapter. Brandon is an Autistic self-advocate and has previous experience being a Talent Acquisition Team Lead for a rising tech startup and enjoys sharing his lived experiences and perspectives.

Sources

Mayer, L., Corrigan, W. P., Elsheuer, D., Oexle, N., Rüsch, N., (2021). Attitudes towards disclosing a mental illness: impact on quality of life and recovery. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00127-021-02081-1

Merrium-Webster (2022). Definition of Stigma. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stigma

Rosa (2018). Why is the Autistic unemployment rate so high? https://thinkingautismguide.com/2018/02/why-is-autistic-unemployment-rate-so.html

Sep 14

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Acceptance Paradox

By Brandon Orozco Autism, Research

The Paradoxes of High Autistic Unemployment Series⎯Part 3

As has been discussed in earlier parts, many factors are seemingly contributing to the high unemployment rate for Autistic individuals. Unfortunately, more factors should be addressed to better understand the issue at hand. Namely, acceptance and belonging are important results to strive for when constructing any Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) effort. The reason is that people want to feel that their organization cares for them on a human level instead of being another statistic on a spreadsheet and/or expendable. In fact, research showed that employees that experienced belonging had increased performance by 56%, while those that felt excluded suffered from a 25% decline in performance (Kaldy, 2019). However, many Autistic individuals may feel that they do not belong in their organization because there are barriers impeding authenticity.

Accordingly, I poised another paradox that could contribute to high unemployment among Autistic individuals: the Acceptance paradox. Notably, it suggests that despite the good intentions of organizations to build DEI efforts to help employees feel acceptance and belonging, it instead builds conformity. One example is the commonly used “business case for diversity” that may have good intentions on the surface but underneath harbors unconscious discrimination. For example, the business case for diversity seeks to justify diversity by suggesting that it ultimately will benefit the bottom line of an organization (Georgeac & Rattan, 2022). While on the surface, it may appear harmless and essential for organizations to benefit from the hard work of others but notice that it is focused solely on the company. Indeed, it views diversity as a business asset and something to take advantage of instead of a moral necessity to help employees feel they belong (Georgeac & Rattan, 2022).

With this said, diversity should not be a bargaining chip but the natural outgrowth of the protections of protected classes and civil rights. In fact, as discussed in part 1, employers cannot discriminate based on protected classes, but the business case for diversity implies that they can deny them if they do not help the company’s bottom line. The reality is that candidates are to be judged on whether they can perform the job and will help the bottom line, but it has nothing to do with the characteristics of protected classes.

In effect, Autistic individuals are disproportionally affected because they seemingly do not meet the “business needs” on the surface because of their behaviors in interviews and lack of experience. For instance, some ways that recruiters gauge a candidate’s ability are previous performance and/or how they present themselves and their skills in an interview. However, as discussed in both parts 1 and 2, Autistic individuals naturally have difficulty in these areas and, unfortunately, get overlooked when they do not meet expectations. However, employers can benefit from hiring Autistic individuals because of their transferable abilities and interest. For example, Autistic individuals possess the focus, commitment, intense passion, and creative ideas that would make anyone qualified for a position for not of lack of understanding (IBCCES, 2015).

Overall, the goal of DEI efforts should be to allow employees to display their authenticity instead of trying to conform to expectations and building a culture of acceptance and belonging. To accomplish this, I have laid out several factors that seem to contribute to the high unemployment rate for Autistic individuals through many parts. From hiring bias, inflated qualification expectations to the business case for diversity, all show a need to shift the fundamental understanding of hiring Autistic individuals. For too long, recruiters have lumped Autistic individuals with Neurotypicals and applied the same expectations to them, but it has shown to be just as discriminatory as separating them. Therefore, the business case for diversity should not be used as a persuasive argument for hiring but as the expectation of hiring diverse individuals.

Brandon Orozco is the AFO Workforce Development Project Assistant and holds a BS degree in Psychology with a dual minor in Philosophy and Business Management. Brandon is currently pursuing a MS in Human Resource Management from Claremont Graduate University and was the founder and President of the Professionals in Human Resources Association (PIHRA) student chapter. Brandon is an Autistic self-advocate and has previous experience being a Talent Acquisition Team Lead for a rising tech startup and enjoys sharing his lived experiences and perspectives.

Sources

Georgeac, O., & Rattan, A. (2022). Stop Making the Business Case for Diversity. https://hbr.org/2022/06/stop-making-the-business-case-for-diversity

International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (2015). Benefits of Hiring People with Autism. https://ibcces.org/blog/2015/07/08/benefits-of-hiring-people-with-autism/

Kaldy, J. (2019). The Benefits of Belonging. https://infrontworkforce.com/the-benefits-of-belonging

Aug 30

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Most Qualified Paradox

By Brandon Orozco Autism, Research

The Paradoxes of High Autistic Unemployment Series⎯Part 2

To further the discussion of the Autistic Unemployment paradox, it important to delve deeper into why there is a high unemployment rate for Autistic individuals. As discussed in Part 1, there are unconscious barriers that recruiters need to keep in mind when seeking to hire Autistic individuals. However, in this part, I want to explore the external factors that can also be playing a major role in the high unemployment rate. In fact, in 2021, nearly 50% of Autistic 25-year-olds never had a paying job, despite possessing the necessary skill sets and expertise to offer (Palumbo, 2021). With this in mind, I suggest another paradox that is also impeding progress towards inclusion, and I offer some personal reflections.

Namely, there seems to be a paradox with recruiting for the most qualified candidates because recruiters seem to overlook and/or favor various qualifying markers in their hiring decisions. In fact, a core tenet of recruiting is creating a wide pool of qualified candidates and choosing the most qualified among them (TalenTeam, 2022). The key word to recognize is the word “qualified” which is vague and can have different interpretations depending on the context. Recruiters often use the term to identify a specific and objective marker of performance that can be used to distinguish between many candidates. In other words, there may be many candidates that are equally “qualified” for a position, but the trouble arises when you have to choose one of them.

In order to narrow down the pool of candidates, recruiters can utilize some universal applications of the most qualified term to find the one(s) most suitable for the position. Unfortunately, finding the “most qualified” can point to the underlying flaw of the term because it can present discrepancies in who to hire. Notably, a common marker that is used is job experience because it can provide insight into how a candidate responded to issues before, or accomplished something relevant to the current position (Orion Talent, 2021). However, as noted earlier, many Autistic individuals have not had a job before, which puts them at a disadvantage over others who do have job experience. In other words, there is great discussion about overqualified candidates, but scarcely about “underqualified”.

As a result, Autistic individuals are not able to show their potential and ability because they were not given a chance to show it. In effect, it may be more fruitful to hire for potential rather than hiring for experience. Hiring for potential entails recognizing that the candidate may not meet all of the listed job expectations but has the potential to grow and learn in the position (Orion Talent, 2021). Candidates that have potential can often outperform their peers who have more experience because they want to prove themselves and will be grateful for the opportunity. In effect, that can lead to greater work outcomes, increased belonging and loyalty to the organization. A good place to start is offering more opportunities for potential in entry level positions where the demands of the job are not as stringent and provides a foothold into the organization.

Overall, I have been on both sides of the interviewing table by interviewing candidates and being interviewed. I understand that every job position is unique and may need work experience depending on the demands of the job and work contexts. However, I have also seen positions that can be trained and developed and do not need previous experience to be successful. In addition, I have seen job descriptions with too high expectations and thus excluding those that could have potential but do not even attempt to apply. The issue of high expectations for entry-level jobs is an important factor to consider when contemplating high Autistic unemployment. The reason is that the primary way into organizations appears to have a barrier into entry that adds to the already difficult pursuit for Autistic individuals.

Sources:

OrionTalent (2021). Hiring for experience vs Potential. https://www.oriontalent.com/recruiting-resources/blog/453/hiring-experience-vs-potential/

Palumbo, J. (2021). Why Autism Speaks is encouraging companies to hire those on the Autistic Spectrum. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jenniferpalumbo/2021/04/27/why-autism-speaks-is-encouraging-companies-to-hire-those-on-the-autistic-spectrum/?sh=4dcdd9ff52a2

TalenTeam (2022). The purpose and importance of Recruitment. https://talenteam.com/blog/purpose-importance-of-recruitment/

Aug 21

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Autistic Unemployment Paradox

By Brandon Orozco Autism, News, Research

The Paradoxes of High Autistic Unemployment Series⎯Part 1

There seems to be a paradox with Autistic unemployment because it should not be as big a problem in reality. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a paradox is a statement that seems contradictory but contains hidden truth (Merriam-Webster, 2022). Indeed, there are supposed safeguards in place to ensure that Autistic individuals are not discriminated against yet still face it. Autism Unemployment was approximately 85% in 2021, and research shows that Autistic individuals face higher unemployment rates and social isolation than other disabilities (Palumbo, 2021). The discrimination can largely be found unconsciously, which makes it more difficult to identify and prove its existence. However, there are several barriers that Autistic people face when interviewing for a job that affects both the interviewer and interviewee. In this post, I will offer some reasons why there is such a high unemployment rate for Autistic individuals and offer my personal reflections.

To better grasp this paradox, it is important to recognize its origin and the flaws in its implementation. Notably, Autistic individuals qualify to be included as a protected class under the classification of physical or mental disability and are therefore protected from employment discrimination (Longley, 2022). Important to note is that disability is not meant to be a negative connotation but a means of identification for legal purposes to offer services and protections. Indeed, the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a disability as a condition that impacts or limits a person’s ability to perform tasks or engage in activities (Merriam-Webster, 2022). With this in mind, Autism does affect or limit a person’s ability to engage in activities or perform tasks, namely interviewing. The reason is that Autism primarily impacts social skills, communication, and self-regulation, which can bring adverse reactions in an interview setting where the expectation is, unfortunately social.

Speaking of interviews, recruiters are not exempted from criticism because they also possess barriers that can make it more difficult to hire Autistic individuals. Namely, there are two hiring biases that recruiters can encounter: the horn effect and similarity attraction bias. First, the horn effect occurs when a recruiter makes a judgment about a candidate over a negative characteristic that clouds their assessment of them (Alexandra, 2020). In other words, a recruiter can unfairly assess an Autistic person’s ability to perform the job over “negative characteristics” they spot in an interview. Second, the similarity attraction bias occurs when a recruiter favors a candidate that appears to be similar to them and others in characteristics (Alexandra, 2020). In other words, the recruiter could discount an Autistic individual for a job because they do not meet the “prerequisite social conditions” that other candidates can meet. With this said, both types of hiring bias could be impeding Autistic individuals because they do not appear to be the “idealized candidate” and are discarded. However, notice that none of these “reasons” for discarding Autistic individuals have anything to do with them having the ability to perform the job and thus is unconscious discrimination.

Overall, I have personally encountered and seen other recruiters succumb to these types of hiring biases, and the worst part is that there are more biases that further impede progress towards inclusion. For example, I recall fellow recruiters mentioning more about a candidate’s personal and social characteristics rather than their ability to help the company grow and thrive. As a result, these subjective measurements are not helping the company onboard a diverse portfolio of candidates when they recruit others like them or those who “fit in”. Therefore, it is essential to be aware of the types of hiring biases and ensure that they are not being deployed unconsciously, and remember that the purpose of inclusion is not conformity.

Sources

Alexandra (2021). 13 Common Hiring Biases To Watch Out For. https://harver.com/blog/hiring-biases/

Longely, R (2022). What Is a Protected Class? https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-protected-class-4583111#:~:text=The%20Equal%20Employment%20Opportunity%20Commission%20%28EEOC%29%20is%20assigned,discriminated%20against%20on%20the%20basis%20of%20that%20trait.

Merrium-Webster (2022). Definition of disability. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disability

Merrium-Webster (2022). Definition of Paradox. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paradox

Jul 13

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Autism Foundation of Oklahoma Awarded Grant to Develop Autism Training for Justice System Professionals

By Emily Scott News, Press Release

The Autism Foundation of Oklahoma (AFO) was awarded a grant by the Oklahoma Bar Foundation (OBF) to develop training, resources, and expert guidance for Oklahoma’s justice system professionals. AFO’s goal is to assist professionals in better recognizing, understanding, and helping citizens with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in Oklahoma’s court system.

The U.S. Department of Justice reports that individuals with disabilities, including autism, are five times more likely to be incarcerated than those without disabilities. Although researchers agree that most individuals with ASD are law-abiding citizens who are more likely to be victims of crimes than to commit them, they are still seven times more likely to intersect with the criminal justice system than individuals without ASD. AFO recognizes that judicial professionals may struggle with how to best identify and interact with autistic clients or citizens in the courtroom.

“The court’s understanding of ASD can make an enormous difference in various juvenile, family, criminal, and other court cases. Legal professionals need access to ASD education, resources, and advocates with autism knowledge and experience to better service and protect this vulnerable population,” says AFO’s Executive Director, Emily Scott.

“The training funded by the OBF will enable lawyers and judges to better understand and interact with individuals on the autism spectrum who need legal representation and appear in court. It will positively impact both the quality of services rendered and case outcomes as these individuals experience our justice system,” says OBF’s Executive Director, Renee DeMoss.

Additionally, AFO is creating a free justice resource collection for their website that will include on-demand videos, social stories, and a network of advocates to assist the courts with understanding the communication, social, and behavioral characteristics of ASD.

The first five trainings will be held at Workflow Commons (916 NW 6th St. Oklahoma City, OK 73106) on the following dates:
o July 26; 10am-12pm
o August 23; 10am-12pm
o September 20; 10am-12pm
o October 25; 10am-12pm
o November 15; 10am-12pm

For registration information, contact AFO Project Coordinator Leah Harris at lharris@autismfoundationok.org.

About Autism Foundation of Oklahoma
The Autism Foundation of Oklahoma’s mission is to improve the quality of life for Oklahomans with autism and their families. AFO’s programs provide education, advocacy, professional development, and individual and family support for Oklahoma’s autism community. To learn more, visit www.autismfoundationok.org.

Media Contact
Leah Harris, Project Coordinator
lharris@autismfoundationok.org
1+(405) 237-8390

Jul 05

Love0

Autism Foundation of Oklahoma Receives a $100,000 grant from the Masonic Charity Foundation of Oklahoma

By Emily Scott News, Press Release

The Masonic Charity Foundation of Oklahoma (MCFOK) has awarded $100,000 to the Autism Foundation of Oklahoma (AFO) for its Early Childhood and Public Safety programs. This generous gift will help AFO provide autism education and resources to childcare providers, law enforcement professionals, and emergency first responders throughout Oklahoma.

“In the last two years, AFO staff and volunteers have developed autism education for numerous professionals, including child care workers, law enforcement agents, and emergency first responders. Thanks to this significant gift from MCFOK, AFO will now be able to obtain the resources we need to launch these trainings statewide.”

“Not all persons on the autism spectrum can effectively communicate with first responders,” said John Logan, Executive Director of MCFOK. “We hope this grant will provide first responders, educators, and childcare professionals with additional tools to assist them in communicating with and responding to the needs of the autism community.”

The Autism Foundation of Oklahoma is a 501c3 nonprofit that aims to improve the lives of Oklahomans with autism and their families across the lifespan. AFO specializes in providing education, resources, and program support for early childhood development, workforce development, public safety, and criminal justice reform initiatives. For additional information, visit www.AutismFoundationOK.org.