Son looked over

@Terryelding

Can I just clarify, since getting the diagnosis and being put on medication has he been given any work by Angard?

Agencies depend a great deal on the work ethics and punctuality of their staff. So they will give the work to their most reliable and hard workers first. Unfortunately your son's past behaviour makes him a big risk for the agency - in which case I would not say it is discrimination. It is also possible that Royal Mail have asked them not to send him any more due to his previous timekeeping.

My best advice is to arrange to talk to one of the staff or manager/s if you have not done so yet and let them know about your son's condition and that the medication is making a huge difference, and ask if they can give him another try. With your son's consent of course.

Hi Terry,

First of all huge congratulations to your son for turning things round, even if the medication has helped. The unemployment rate for those with ASD is high and what he has achieved is no small thing.

My daughter has ASD, went on to get a first at University and while she is working for a good employer she is still stuck on 12 hours per week contract, something they stopped doing two years ago. She is well respected by colleagues and management but still she ends up helping to train new staff who she knows are on more hours and therefore more pay, who are usually gone after a few months, so I understand your frustration.

It is hard to confirm that he is discriminated against because of his ASD based on what you have said. While he may not be selected for certain shifts you have confirmed that he works most weeks, though I appreciate this does not say how many hours he actually works.

Very few agencies can guarantee a set number of hours per week or even if there will be work every week, no matter how good the worker is, this is just the nature of agency work. Having worked for several agencies over the years I know this can be very frustrating. To the point where I have been signed up with four different agencies to try and secure regular work.

If you take a look at ROYALMAILCHAT there is a lot of frustration with Angard. Which further makes me think it is not a discrimination matter.

With Royal Mail I know things can work very differently, however most of the jobs I have had I started with them originally as an agency worker. Is your son flexible enough to consider other type of agency work? From what you have said he would probably do well in warehouse work or a stock room. Hard work and reliability would stand him in good stead. The pay would probably be not so great, but becoming a full time employee would possibly be more achievable. Not always required, but if he is comfortable using computers this would help.

Typical type of work in warehousing, pickers, packers, some cleaning when things are quiet, receiving and putting away stock, processing returns, fork lift driving once qualified to do so, dealing with stock issues. Often fewer people, little or no contact with customers. The ability to follow simple instructions and see things through, an eye to detail is a huge bonus. It can take a few placements before being offered a full time role.

Sorry, probably not the answer you are looking for, but I am trying to think what may be best for your son.