Learn from the mistakes of others

Keep in mind that I have struggled to get much more than irregular casual employment throughout my adult life, not because I am an unsuitable employee, but because I'm unconsciously assessed as an employment risk. Something I've only really understood in the past few years.

I'm yet to be convinced that the new IR regime advances my interests. Particularly as my eligibility for support services that could help me keep any job I happen to get (or have) will be automatically reviewed in July and determined by a formula.

My disability is not obvious, but definately affects my long-term employment prospects - my employment history bears that out. With changes to social security mean that I am expected to be trying to work - regardless of whether employers are even remotely interested in employing me - while potentially removing the mechanisms that could encourage an employer to take me on, and then keep me, is extremely frustrating.

Disclosure is a double-edged sword. I have ot disclose to get access to support, and be able ot expect certain accomodations from my employer. But as a casual employee, I run the risk of becoming "surplus to needs" as usual.

Any anger that comes out in what I rant about here is largely due to a litany of seemingly reasonable employers who have replaced me with someone who has less capability but is "easier to get along with" or who "can follow instructions". In short, someone who is not ever so slightly autistic.

Discrimination is real, and sometimes subtle. In a marketplace where labour is readily exchangable, and there are few if any incentives to work with some one "different", it is not hard to imagine that I might only have work so long as it is convenient to the employer. That is, until they can find someone else they consider to be "more suitable" - "easier to work with".