r/MadeMeSmile • u/nutznboltsguy • 23h ago
Helping Others This Car Wash Employs People With Autism
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u/Earth2Monkey 21h ago
I have an autistic coworker who comes in twice a week for 3 hours at a time to check for expired product. She only speaks with people she trusts. Most of the time she won't look at you or say anything directly to you. I remember my shock the first time she said a full sentence to me. I remember the first time she said my name.
But, she's very vocal. She hums, squeals, yells, repeats phrases, repeats phrases, etc. Sometimes that unsettles customers. She came running out of the office in excitement the other day and a customer thought she was running away from something in fear. I usually just explain that she's autistic and having fun.
What I don't explain is that she's the most senior member of our team. She accomplishes things on her own that we need to hold other people's hands through. She works hard, she just might lay on the floor and sing a little R&B while she does it. And any one of us would stand up for her any day of the week.
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u/DependentWooden9446 21h ago
The repeating of phrases is called echolalia, very common for people with autism. My son does the same.
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u/studio684 12h ago
I'm glad this comment was posted. I work as event staff for a college. At the baseball games I have a regular in my section who I believed was autistic. He repeated the same phrases and would run in circles when he gets excited. This comment confirmed what i was thinking. I keep a close eye on him to make sure he is treated well by other attendees. I've also tried to gain his trust but he is not very talkative. I've walked into his space before, i gave him about 5 or 6 feet between us and asked how he was doing. He just did a 180 and walked away. On another really hot day I kept my distance and asked how he was doing. I got a response back and then i reminded him where to find water because he doesn't really eat or drink much at the game. I didn't want him passing out on me.
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u/AltheiWasTaken 20h ago
Its interesting, cause im a high functioning autist, and this is one of the most triggering things for me. This and doing random sounds for no appareant reason.
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u/PM_ME_BOOBZ 14h ago
I'm not diagnosed and I don't believe I'm autistic. I mimic car honks and train whistles if I hear them. It's like the only weird sensory thing I do. I've been doing it seemingly my whole life. I've been questioned about it occasionally if I'm driving with friends.
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u/AltheiWasTaken 14h ago
Honestly thats not that bad, for the worst are "natural sounds" like laughing, gurgling, loud exhaling, stuff like that
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u/Mental-Draconis407 20h ago
Do the phrases usually have to be something recently heard? Or can quoting memes for years even when you're alone count as echolalia? A lot of times I hear a word and it triggers the urge to quote something, for example.
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u/RodMunch85 15h ago
I sometimes get hooked on the same vocal stim and say the same thing randomly for a few days. Not constantly but enough it is noticeable. Im working on it
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u/ShatteredAnus 14h ago
Can I ask, does it "hurt" when can you are not allowed to stim? I read The Reason I Jump, and the author mentions that. I have an autistic son, and I worry that stopping him from stimming, hurts him?
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u/Magnolia_Maple 14h ago
For me, not stimming feels like a very strong restless anxiety that gets worse and worse the longer I wait. It does feel awful. Stimming is a way to regulate in overwhelming environments, and you should absolutely not stop harmless stimming from your child. If something he is doing is harmful, ie. Skin picking, banging a limb, or shouting in a quiet place, you can help him find stims that are less harmful. Some I use are hopping, rocking, stretching a rubber band, or humming.
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u/ShatteredAnus 14h ago
Oh my god, thank you so much for your response! I let him stim as much as he wants at home or when we are not in public, like in our car or with friends and family. But I wasn't sure if I was doing the right thing. Some people tell me I need to correct it. I feel like if its not hurting or bothering anyone, let him be? Luckily he doesn't do any self harm. He is picking his skin on his fingers which is getting worse. Can I ask, have you tried any fidget toys, do they help? Or if you have any tips on how you deal and manage, would love to hear your first person insights. You can DM me too. Thanks again!
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u/Commercial_Border190 14h ago
It feels like you’re a taut rubber band. At least for me. If his stims are problematic there may be ways to redirect them
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u/RodMunch85 14h ago
No i wouldnt say it hurts me. Im working on it like i said but sometimes it can be very difficult not to do it or i dont even realise im doing it until my wife or one of my kids says so
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u/DependentWooden9446 20h ago
It manifests in different ways for different people, there are different types but delayed echolalia is one of the types and is similar to what you are describing.
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u/dungeon-raided 17h ago
Depends, but it's usually relatively recent things. I tend to pick up things my friends say that amuse me.
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u/Racxie 15h ago
I just looked this up as was curious about it, and according to Wikipedia:
Echolalia is the repetition of vocalizations made by another person; when repeated by the same person, it is called palilalia.
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u/AlmightyCuddleBuns 14h ago
Damn, these neurologists coming for Jacob two-two like this.
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u/mysteriousblue87 11h ago
When mine gets super excited (happy) able something, he’ll speak faster and that’s when the repeater turns on. He’ll also have a little hum before his words if he’s trying to hold back a surprise or he’s about to go run around the neighborhood with his brother and their friends. His vocal stims seem to occur when he’s happiest, so they bring contentment in our house
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u/pinner 11h ago
I wasn’t sure what it was called. I’ve always referred to it as having a repetition form of Autism. I repeat things a lot. I get in my head about a sound or a phrase and the repetition can last for a few minutes to months, interrupting my thoughts, and forcing me to repeat things in order to continue what I’m doing.
It was really bad as a teenager but I’ve gained some control over it.
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u/thriftygeo 19h ago edited 11h ago
> She works hard, she just might lay on the floor and sing a little R&B while she does it.
Maybe we should all take a page from your colleague’s book. Sounds alright to me!
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u/pasaroanth 13h ago
I worked for a medical group years back that employed a couple people with autism. This pre-dated AI and the level of automation we have now. They were responsible for data organization/verification/chart review and it was absolutely incredible the speed and efficiency they could work at.
It really came down to pattern recognition in verifying that encounters had the correct place of service, billing codes, provider info, etc as the providers were unfortunately notorious for making errors like that.
I’m not exaggerating when I say there was no one else in the company I would’ve trusted with that work over them. It truly played into every strength common with autism which allowed them to stay FAR more focused and thorough in that role than anyone I’ve ever seen.
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u/Larock-Divontae 20h ago
I love that your team sees her for who she is instead of making her feel like she has to act a certain way to be accepted. The fact that she's the most senior member and gets things done while others need hand-holding is the cherry on top. Let the woman sing her R&B in peace.
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u/figuringthingsout__ 10h ago
I subbed as an aide at a middle school last week. I was assigned to help a girl who's nonverbal. She was so sweet, and it was so heartwarming to see the other girls in her grade embrace her. You could tell they would protect her if they ever needed to.
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u/JakeCWolf 16h ago
Hey as long as the work gets done, how it gets done doesn't matter to me. Results and happy customers, those things matter. Besides I bet being on the spectrum like she is means she catches things no one else does because she's that detailed orientated.
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u/EquivalentDurian6316 4h ago
This is really sweet.
Supporting an a(r)((u))tist in it's comfortable environment is a recipe for success. The reason for typing the parenthesis as such is to disclude noone. You can be both.
There is grace, expression, beauty and care in organization, weirdness, madness, and wholesomeness. The 'tism isn't anything less, nor should it be. Best advice I have; stay out of their problem-solving way, and help to anticipate what they may neglect.
Something as simple as we forgot to drink water today. One time you bring them a glass when needed most, now you have an ally for all of time. As a category, among the most loyal of humans I've ever known. They deserve your patience, and will watch your back, expecting nothing in return.
Source: Decades of experience with primarily ASD
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u/XN28theGOOD 23h ago
I thought they said this car wash gives people autism.
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u/elkab0ng 8h ago
The Tylenol Amygdala Scrub is $2 extra, sir. Would you like to upgrade to the Diminished Activity Dorsal Lateral Prefrontal Cortex package for only $8 more?
— I taste the rainbow 🌈
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u/BANGImportant2825 19h ago
My job hires autistic people too. We are software engineers.
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u/minimuscleR 18h ago
As a software engineer. Like half my team is autistic lmao.
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u/belac4862 13h ago
Autistim, Dyslexia, and ADHD. Combined with our powers were can create "The IT department!"
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u/Electrical-Fig-5009 1h ago
Work for a corporate for tech & most my employees are ADHD, autistic, auDHD, OCD or have children that are. I got told "I never would have guessed you were autistic!" Followed by a long pause. "No wonder you're so good at xyz!" I'm like I gotta be, I'm auDHD if I didn't find ways to cover both sides I'd never get any work done
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u/Blze001 17h ago
I think it's basically a soft requirement for us, tbh.
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u/League3056 13h ago
Husband is a software engineer. He and like 60% of his coworkers are autistic. Basically the sales guys are generally NT, but the people who actually DO the work being sold are all on the spectrum. The company pays very well and has excellent benefits; it’s a great place for autists to work.
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u/Alert_Comedian7558 23h ago
So many autistic folks are talented,they just need a chance like this
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u/Vicious_and_Vain 23h ago
They organized my spare change
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u/Ashamed_Fruit_6767 22h ago
Leave you mobile banking app open and they will also put your finances in order.
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u/gabor_legrady 22h ago
On the bright side it started about 11 years ago, and still going
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u/Ok_Support3 21h ago
Wait so what's the dark side here?
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u/gabor_legrady 20h ago
Because my first search gave news from 11 years ago I had the feeling that this car wash does not exists any more - and was happy to realize that they are still active.
I am not a native English speaker - so maybe I did not choose the right way to write about this.
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u/Embarrassed-Weird173 15h ago
On the bright side implies we saw something bad, "so here's something good instead".
You'd probably want to say something like "Good news! The carwash is still in business 11 years later."
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u/BelleLovesAngus 20h ago
This reminds me of my brother. He's level 2, got a job testing phones and he's still pumped 10 years later. He actually gets upset if he can't go to work. I remember the day he got his driver's licence and he kept saying "can drive myself to work now". I would die for him.
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u/EarlySample6725 18h ago
That’s honestly adorable. The fact that he was so excited about being able to drive himself to work says everything about how much that job means to him. You can really feel how proud you are of him.
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u/BelleLovesAngus 16h ago
Yes!! It's the first and only job he's had. I'm over the moon he found something as much as he loves PlayStation. You're such a sweet and heartfelt person. You see people. Keep doing what you're doing. the world needs more people like you❤️
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u/PartsUnknown242 20h ago
What exactly does testing phones entail?
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u/BelleLovesAngus 19h ago
He tests batteries, buttons, if the software is acting as it should, things like that. Whenever he explains it to me it goes over my head🤣
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u/Victernus 20h ago
Ring ring, ring ring.
Hello?
Yup, that one's good.
Ring ring, ring ring...
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u/BelleLovesAngus 19h ago
Yeah, no
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u/Victernus 19h ago
I realise my joke only works if you remember phones as something you use exclusively to make phone calls, so for the sake of comedy, please pretend it's thirty years ago.
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u/Chop1n 22h ago
This is, like... the notion of what "autism" was 20 years ago or something. Like someone low-functioning enough to be unable to function in a typical work environment.
"Autism" is now so broad that it would probably be more accurate to describe this place as being for developmentally disabled people with autism or something.
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u/Peakomegaflare 22h ago
I mean Autism IS a spectrum.
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u/Chop1n 22h ago edited 22h ago
That's exactly the point. Autism is such a broad spectrum, where the majority of autistic people are "functional" in the sense of employability, that presenting this as "autism" is misleading. Again: it reinforces the old paradigm, where autism was seen as something profoundly debilitating, rather than a common phenotype.
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u/quirkscrew 20h ago
I get where you are coming from, but I encourage you to consider a few points to the contrary:
1) Employing autistic people gives them a space to work where they don't have to "mask" (pretend they are neurotypical)
2) Young, ambitious people often start out in retail/restaurants/etc. Maybe this is a place where a young scientific genious could gain confidence and earn money as a teenager.
3) This business model normalizes autistic people and allows the general population to witness them contributing to society first-hand, which reduces stigma and bullying
4) yes, while it is true that higher-functioning autistic people might not "need" an experience like this to be successful... it's disingenuous to suggest that this doesn't benefit them in some way. Representation itself is its own justification for this project, and it's a huge bonus that some of these autistic employees may not find meaningful fulfillment otherwise.
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u/League3056 22h ago
Yeah I found the part where it said that 90% of autistic people are unemployed to be a bit ... overstated.
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u/LoganHowlett1832 21h ago edited 21h ago
85% of autistic people are unemployed or underemployed. Over half never work a job at all. The job outlook for those with autism is really bad.
https://specialneedsusa.com/data/autism-employment-statistics
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u/League3056 21h ago
https://www.reddit.com/r/autism/comments/1dvhcwr/psa_the_85_autism_unemployment_rate_isnt_accurate/
I know anecdotes are not real data, but as a person who has 3 out of 4 family members who are autistic with low support needs, and with my (autistic) husband working in IT, where fully half or more of his coworkers are also autistic, I think it impossible that that statistic is accurate. "The survey only covered people who were receiving state developmental disability services. This is a population, almost by definition, with higher support needs than the autistic population at large."
It is incredibly hard for a so-called "high-functioning" autistic person to get SSDI or any such similar disability assistance. If you only look at the population of people who managed to get such help, you will indeed find most of them unemployed.
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u/il_viapo 17h ago
The statistic is probably outdated, but you have to take into account that, until relatively recently, high-functioning autistic people were rarely officially diagnosed with autism. They were often diagnosed with OCD or other conditions, or simply dismissed as quirky.
Considering that it takes at least 8–14 years for a newly diagnosed child to potentially enter these employment statistics, since they generally won't be counted as unemployed while they are still in education. The 85–90% unemployment rate will likely need to be reassessed in the future, taking into account changes in diagnostic trends and the growing number of autistic people who were diagnosed more recently and are entering the workforce.
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u/SheogorathMyBeloved 18h ago
I work at a museum, and no joke, all of my coworkers barring three (there's about 20 of us) all have autism. We're not all low support needs/level 1 autistics, either. My country doesn't use levels in diagnosing autism, but for ease of understanding, there's a few level 2 autistic coworkers, and one borderline level 3.
Our town is small. We joke that the autism employment in our town has to be like 90%, because they all work at the museum.
Autism is an incredibly vast spectrum, and loads of low support needs folks simply don't get diagnosed until late, if ever. I was 20, one of my coworkers was 38. Sure, the unemployment rate among high support needs autistics probably is 85%, but I'd estimate mid-low support needs autistics at 25% at absolute maximum.
Ofc, anecdotes aren't actual statistics, but something doesn't quite add up.
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u/thehotshotpilot 20h ago
I agree. This smells of some RFK Jr. BS. Maybe I shouldn't be surprised but I have a lot of friends on the spectrum that are fully employed in white collar jobs. They either are into ham radio or board / card games with me, so I guess they fit those stereotypes but still.
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u/Unsd 18h ago
Yup I also work in an autistic workplace lol. It's solidly well over half of us. Great place to work. I don't think anyone is level 2 though. Even the people who are more "outwardly autistic" (heavy stimming, echolalia, unusual emotional reactions, and just general social impairment) still live unsupported and are married with kids. None of us would be captured in that stat, and yet we have a DND vs MTG rivalry at work. The nerd divide.
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u/Stay-Cool-Mommio 18h ago
How shocking that folks receiving developmental disability assistance would be un- or under-employed. In other news, a new study proves that water is wet.
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u/asuka_is_my_co-pilot 19h ago
You have probably seen the headline that 85% of autistic adults are unemployed. It is one of the most repeated figures in the autism world, and it is also one of the most misleading.
From your link
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u/LoganHowlett1832 11h ago
Yeah because if you read a tiny bit more you’ll see that also counts underemployed. Which I said.
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u/waschbaerpisse 16h ago edited 16h ago
That's just another half truth.
I agree that most people have a disturbed view of what autism can and can't look like, and that this video shows a very limited part of the spectrum, but you seem to have a disturbed view of what autism looks like as well.
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder. That makes it a fact that every autistic person has a developmental disability.
"high functioning" and "low functioning" are terms that do not describe autistic peoples experiences and struggles, they describe whether a capitalist society can profit from an autistic person. The main terms used by autistic advocates are "high support needs" and "low support needs", but autism is a spectrum and while all autistic people share struggles on that spectrum, they can be very differently spread out and present very differently from person to person, so no binary term will ever be able to accurately describe the difference in experiences of autistic people. In the following I use your terms of "functioning" to show how these terms fail to describe an autistic persons experiences accurately.
There are very few autistic people who have no problems "functioning" in a typical work environment, you may not see their struggles, that doesn't mean they have none.
Someone who sees me at work will think that I'm doing well. Unless they know a lot about autism and start a conversation with me they probably won't have a clue I'm autistic, I'm told that my work is very satisfactory and that I'm one of few reliable employees. I'm generally described as "high functioning" because I look that way at work.
That I can conceal my struggles long enough to get through a shift doesn't mean that I "function" well in life.
After a hard shift my bf will pick me up, I'll ask him not to talk to me before the at-work-mask wears off and I go mute. At home I'll try my best to stay calm while I get all clothes that hurt off, close the blinds, put my noise cancelling headphones on and sit in the dark without any stimulation or movement for at least an hour until my nervous system calms down enough to reboot. I have to give space to a safe version of a shutdown to prevent an uncontrollable shutdown or meltdown. Then I'll struggle to get out of bed the next day and will need at least one day home alone before I'm able to fuction as well as is normal for me and talk to people again.
It took me years to get to this point, to have a routine that includes working parttime and doesn't make me passively suicidal out of exhaustion. I'm still burning out even though I've reduced my shifts and I won't be able to do this job indefinitely but compared to how I used to be at other jobs I'm doing great.
This kind of thing is what having "high functioning" autism looks like behind the mask for most. There are autistic people who have jobs which don't demand something they struggle with because of their autism by default, but these jobs are not the typical work environment. A typical work environment will give most autistic people who try to conform to demands of how they should act burnout.
Ignoring the problem most autistic people have with employment is legitimizing one of the few changeable causes of this problem which are unaccommodating work environments.
I don't mean that all workplaces need to accept all kinds of behavior that can be caused by autism, that's not possible, but accommodating when somebody needs:
clear instructions and communication, written instructions, a clear schedule, flexible work hours, to work from home, to wear noise cancelling headphones and/or sensory friendly clothes, to be able to ask clarifying questions without being seen as rude or questioning authority, no fluorescent lights, people to say what they mean without requiring the employee to read between the lines and not interpreting meaning between the lines of what the employee says, to be allowed to be socially awkward and/or bad at smalltalk, to stim, to not hold eye contact while listening/talking, to be allowed to take breaks and withdraw themselves if needed...
should be accommodated if possible, and most of this is possible in most workplaces.
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u/Hex-n-Beast 12h ago
Your experiences are close to mine. I've struggled all my life attempting to learn to be social, deal with the depressive meltdowns, put a smile on, change my tone, all to be accommodating to everyone else.
As soon as I am home, it drops and I need to be left alone to process and feel that coil unwrap.
It's a nightmare trying to ask others to respect my boundaries, because they see I can function, but don't see the meltdowns after trying to keep up.
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u/Pretend-Policy832 12h ago
This is autism? I thought this was just everyone, ha. Maybe look into starting your own business. It’s nice when you are able to work on your own schedule and do things your way
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u/minimuscleR 18h ago
I totally agree. The idea that everyone is like that is just so outdated. I have autism, so do like half my co-workers. We are also all software engineers or the like.
We all work extremely complicated jobs that the average person absolutely could not do mentally. Its just also that half of us can't communicate normally, which is fine, we mostly communicate through memes.
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u/Round-Claim5420 18h ago
My coworker is the classic "old guy thats just reaaaally wierd" kind of undiagnosed person.
Has had jobs his whole life (60 now), but also can't eat food his mom didn't cook before.
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u/minimuscleR 17h ago
yeah we have a chef at my work (#humblebrag lmao), and like a quarter of my team get the same chicken and hot chips every single day, even though the menu changes each week.
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u/_ElBee_ 16h ago
I do that too, to a degree. We have a very good cafeteria at work, but I never get anything from it outside of the soup (which does vary in type, but that's okay) and a fried snack (which is always the same one for me). I make the rest of my lunch at home and take that to work. I like things I'm used to, it provides a bit of security 😅
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u/Clear-Possibility710 8h ago
There are 3 levels of severity in the DSM-V. The severity level describes the level of support the individual requires. Perhaps the statistic describes level 3 who require substantial support.
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u/Zafiroso 13h ago
I actually went to school with one of the guys in the video and I am very glad to see him happy and thriving. A very kind soul.
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u/BSARIOL1 11h ago
This car wash was started by a man with an Autistic child. His son worked the car wash and they hire autistic people to work there as well. They now have three locations that I know of here in broward county florida.
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u/PsychologicalTea1888 15h ago
I need a car wash near me that employs people with OCD. The wash may take 5 hours, but damnit, the car is fricken clean AF.
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u/kryptoneat 5h ago
Have a mass spectrometer installed to determine the real nature of that stain, to find THE right product to dissolve it.
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u/KevinEmzey 23h ago
Everyone deserves a place where they can contribute, feel useful, and be treated with respect. I hope this business does well
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u/elowen_canopy 22h ago
Not a single speck of dust in your center console vents will survive that wash
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u/Eena-Rin 2h ago
My brother is on the spectrum, and my mother is currently paying his employer to employ him. It infuriates me. He is paid under minimum wage because he gets government benefits, but he's forklift certified and works in a warehouse loading and unloading stuff for them. Apparently the government assistance for his workplace stopped covering the carers they have, so now it falls on the employees themselves. They think it's fine, but I can't stand the thought that he's being taken for a ride. Still. I suppose it gets him out of the house...
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u/DrMeowsburg 22h ago
Yeah so did my last job at a robotics and automation company lmaooo
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u/thebigj3wbowski 12h ago
This is a purely anecdotal story, and has no bearing on this video or any other people. I understand that autism is a spectrum, and just everyone in the world, we are all different.
I was assistant manager of a restaurant that used rolled silverware - where the silver comes rolled up to the guest inside of their napkin. We had a group of autistic people who would come in every morning before opening and roll the silverware. It's a pain in the butt, and every server hates doing it, though it needs to be done (that's debatable, but this was a regional chain, and corporate mandated.)
For many of them, it was a highlight of their day. They looked forward to it, and if we weren't busy enough the night before to have lots of silverware to roll, they got upset. Not everyone rolled silverware; some just came and sat with everyone else. I was told they enjoyed it because it got them out of the group home, they didn't have to talk with anybody if they didn't want to, and it was a repeatable task with well defined needs and required outcomes. (Fold the napkin in half, place one butter knife, then two forks, then one spoon, then roll and put into the bucket.)
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u/Joejoecornrow 19h ago
One thing I give wegmans props for is hiring folks with special needs.Stuff like this warms my dead hollow soul.
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u/Impossible-Quail-711 13h ago
Wish something like this existed where I live!
Signed, chronically unemployed person with level 2 Autism.
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u/Loysight76 12h ago
the headline makes it sound like a gimmick but the actual point is just giving people a job that fits how they operate. some of yall in the comments sharing real experiences and thats way more valuable than any sappy feel good framing. bottom line. more employers need to stop treating autism like a liability and start building around strengths instead of forcing everyone into the same boring mold.
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u/Delusional_Viking 10h ago
I used to run car washes back in the day, our owner was a former cop and paid local PD to look the other way on his hiring of undocumented individuals. The feds finally had enough and ICE raided the place and took away all the mexicans which was super sad. We went from literal families together washing cars, singing, carpooling, making lunch to hiring recently released convicts as our primary workforce. Quality tanked and customers went elsewhere, Danny and several store managers went to prison and had to sell to a competitor.
I would have much rather had people with autism than all the asshole crybaby convicts I had to be around.
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u/TopDogTransport4731 16h ago
Interesting I am actually good at my job. Understand the rules and regs and also HOS and keep my equipment in top shape by meticulously inspecting it. Love schedules and appointments.
Also I had memorized the Interstate Map Atlas when I was 8 years old.
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u/mdhunter99 10h ago
I used to work at this coffee shop who almost exclusively employed special needs people, autism, Down syndrome, there was someone with multiple sclerosis, it was a nice place. Still running.
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u/Snorlax4000 10h ago
The black guy at the beginning is hitting all kinds of moves 🔥🔥
It’s great to see things like this. Hoping my brother can find a part time job soon too
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u/JRR_Tokin54 9h ago
We used to go to this place all the time when we lived in Florida. Rising Tide Car Wash. Great place!
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u/isthatabingo 22h ago
90% of people with autism are not unemployed wtf does this dude think every person with autism has an intellectual disability? This honestly feels like a dated view of autism, which is a spectrum, not solely comprised of individuals with high needs.
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u/Right-Space5730 20h ago
The 90% statistic is considered quite skewed now, but more recent studies still suggest that a disproportionate number of autistic people are underemployed.
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u/spancor 18h ago
I mean, I work directly in Adults with Disabilities and Impariments and dayhabs and the varying degrees of mental illness are wild. The spectrum you speak of is kinda where I thought he was coming from, allowing a wide spectrum of potential applicants as the market for those with disabilities is really, really hard.
I worked for 3 months, 2 interviews and multiple layers of paperwork to get an autistic man I worked with 20 hours of work per week stocking shelves. He loved it and it seriously improved his lifestyle, I would sit with him during all of his shifts and help him if it was required, which it almost never was.
Other clients don’t have it so easy/accessible. I think programs/jobs like the one OP posted, as long as the staff and employees are being paid a livable and reasonable wage for their duties, along with the environment being safe for them. Why would this be wrong?
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u/_ElBee_ 16h ago
I'm on the spectrum as well. I work a regular office job for 32 hours, with regular pay and benefits. It took time and effort to match my qualities with types of available work. Job coaching was very beneficial for that, both for me and my employer.
I now do specific investigative work into special cases that my co-workers cannot handle besides their regular commitments and which kept piling up and had to be finished haphazardly previously. My employer says that since I've taken on those specific cases, customer satisfaction has risen significantly.
And that's just the point: "we" can be a valuable and productive asset to a workforce, but oftentimes employers just don't know how to invest into it. And that's a real shame.
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u/spancor 16h ago
And that’s why I love my job, being able to provide the service of representation while upholding the dignity of the people I work with to better educate and bring light to their abilities and capabilities, even if they are disabled/nonverbal etc. I’m really glad you found a position that works for you and you enjoy. It’s been the past 10 years of working in this field and every case I’ve worked with has been a pleasure, finding something that scratches the proverbial “itch” for work really makes life a lot easier as a whole.
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u/LoganHowlett1832 21h ago edited 21h ago
85% of autistic people are unemployed or underemployed. Over half never work a job at all. The job outlook for those with autism is really bad.
https://specialneedsusa.com/data/autism-employment-statistics
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u/minimuscleR 18h ago
You have probably seen the headline that 85% of autistic adults are unemployed. It is one of the most repeated figures in the autism world, and it is also one of the most misleading.
The opening sentence. Its literally saying you are wrong in your own link.
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u/Ancient_Abalone6323 16h ago
He just said what the link says; unemployed or underemployed.
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u/dancingyoyo 13h ago
Don’t harsh on a comment without clarification you take away from the overall conversation.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
The 85% figure blends two things. It almost always means unemployed orunderemployed, and is often quoted about college graduates specifically. No single peer-reviewed study measured an 85% unemployment rate.
53.4% of autistic young adults in the U.S. had ever worked for pay after high school, the lowest of any disability group (NLTS2, Roux et al., 2013).
Only ~21% of employed autistic young adults worked full time, at an average of $8.10 per hour. Underemployment is as much the story as unemployment.
37% of autistic young adults were disconnected in their early 20s, with no job and no schooling, versus under 8% of peers with other disabilities (Drexel NAIR, 2015).
34.0% of autistic adults in the U.K. were employed in 2024/25, versus 55.3% of all disabled people and 82.0% of non-disabled people (ONS). The widely shared 22% figure is from 2020.
77% of unemployed autistic adults say they want to work (National Autistic Society). The gap is about barriers, not willingness.
A degree does not close the gap. More than30% of autistic college graduates are unemployed, and many who work are underemployed outside their field.
Autistic adults have the worst employment outcomes of any disability group in both U.S. and U.K. national data.
The gap responds to support. In a randomized study of Project SEARCH with autism supports, 87% reached competitive employment versus 12% without it. The number is not fixed.2
u/enad58 9h ago
I know it's anecdotal but I noticed the stat about 53% of autistic adults having ever worked for pay and thought of my cousin.
He repairs small engines, he's "self- employed" and makes money from doing it. But there's a 0% chance of him ever working a job that involves anything revolving around a workplace dynamic.
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u/asuka_is_my_co-pilot 19h ago
But also around 90% of autistic adults over 40 are undiagnosed. Along with around 20-30% for teens and 50% for 20 year olds.
I myself didn't get an official diagnosis because then I wouldn't have been able to immigate to the UK or Canada (up until 2017) and most of my disabilitiy accommodations are covered by my adhd diagnosis but that's another story.
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u/Evepaul 15h ago
Was an official diagnosis something you needed to disclose on immigration forms?
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u/asuka_is_my_co-pilot 10h ago
Yes You have to see a have a government mandated check up, especially because they have universal health care, they want to see any past health problems.
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u/Sharp_Ad_6336 16h ago
Pretty sure they mean real autism that has a drastic impact on quality of life as opposed to the mild inconvenience of "I don't like the texture of denim, shirt tags and tight socks"
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u/Psychological_Mix594 12h ago
This is very relevant for people on the spectrum. Think of it as a gateway for those who need that step up or a place to remain which will celebrate their gifts and not penalize or exploit deficiencies. Not a lifetime sentence for those who absorb and thus are ready to continue to move on.
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u/Music_Is_Da_Best 10h ago
This isn’t a “customer appreciation” video cmon chill daddy chill. Those are sad. Those are some genuine smiles in the video. Appreciate the passion but that’s not the antichrist in the video bud.
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u/whatswithnames 18h ago
Every time I see a business going out of their way to hire the impaired... there is always some sort of tax loop they are trying to exploit. Could be wrong.
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u/RedRevolutionGaming 15h ago
I know this sort of thing is supposed to feel uplifting.. but it always leaves a sour taste in my mouth regardless
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u/Winter-Yogurt-4209 14h ago
Heaven forbid people with disabilities participate in society
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u/Psychological_Mix594 12h ago edited 12h ago
This is a good case for assigning good intentions to the messenger in the same way that we would like others to do for us.
Autism does cause many people to have a difficult time entering and participating in paid employment.
One of the best front line therapies for all parts of the spectrum is ABA because it is tailored to the individual.
This is perfect for an ABA plan for those who are ready to address all kinds of skills needed to get a job like this, learn how to handle having a job, and be successful and gain a sense of accomplishment, including moving on and up in their career.
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u/Kyrie_Blue 11h ago
You should have seen the number of people with Autism that RADIOSHACK employed.
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u/plump_wizard 2h ago
This is absolutely beautiful and if I had the money I’d build these all across the country.
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u/Catymandoo 1h ago
Good! 👏
I work part time in a school for autistic kids. It great to relate to them that not everyone out their is prejudiced against people who are “different”
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u/LUSocrman 56m ago
Love this and like to see more of these pop up
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u/ImminentDebacle 10m ago
I would like to see more people with autism find jobs that don't exploit their labor.
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u/kissmiss08 38m ago
“Unemployment among people with autism is at least 90%”
Well, no, it isn’t, but yes, do give people with autism a shot.
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