As you may be aware, I realised I am autistic just before starting a new job for Home Group, a large housing association with head office in Newcastle. Yes, that is all a true story, unfortunately. I initially thought I didn’t need a diagnosis because I was ok for years, but as I got bullied at work and autistics are more likely to be bullied, I thought getting diagnosed would be a solution. And diagnostic centre agreed to bring my appointment forward so I thought I was right.

But I was wrong. The problems were only getting worse. So I eventually left and made a claim to employment tribunal. In the response to that claim, Home Group stated that my diagnosis was private and they paid for it. But it was on NHS and I didn’t even tell them I got referred till after my diagnostic appointment.

There must have been fabricated documents in my file, but of course head office didn’t know about it. They must have thought, at least at the time, the documents were genuine and I was either lying or was insane. So they must have thought the case would be easy to defend. And yet, they hired a partner from Ward Hadaway, a lawyer who’s very experienced in employment disputes. But if they thought the case is going to be that easy, why didn’t they make some effort to save tax payers some money (they’re paid by government to support vulnerable people with housing) and didn’t just tell their own law department to deal with it?

And Mr Scope, such an experienced lawyer, didn’t even advise them that the paperwork in my file needs checking properly because it may be fake.

I mean, of course from my perspective that’s better because otherwise I’d have no story to tell, but how come so many people couldn’t make the decision that was right for them?

Hiring expensive lawyer for a case that seems trivial is a social thing – that’s what neurotypicals do when they feel threatened and confused. Instead of following the right procedures they’re playing social games.

But then why Mr Scope didn’t advise them properly? I don’t know. But in my previous post about CEO of Home Group I said that I suspect some top executives are not necessarily that good at their job. Perhaps the same applies to Mr Scope? He’s not really that experienced. He’s just very difficult to provoke.