Why mandates to return to the office could leave neurodivergent employees behind
Ashley Palardy was baffled for years as to why she felt so exhausted after a long day in the office. She would lock herself away in the bathroom or seclude herself in a quiet place during lunch in order to relax and go to bed straight after work. But a year ago, she got her answer through a diagnosis: She has autism.
Palardy, who also has attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, is a contractor for two companies and has worked remotely in Houston and Austin for about three years. But as she looks for a full-time position, the 26-year-old worries about flexibility.
“It really does scare me,” she said, adding that she’s hesitant to ask for an accommodation that would be covered by the American Disabilities Act out of fear of discrimination. “I know it takes a lot of time and effort to be there.” Many companies now require their employees to work five days per week. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., secretary of health and human services, said that people with autism would not be able to hold jobs. Workers say that while some neurodivergent individuals excel in the office, many others have difficulty focusing, sensory issues and fatigue. The job market is very competitive right now, according to Kristyn Rot, chief marketing officer at the Autism Society. “If accommodations
are being cut and DEI services continue to be deprioritized, job opportunities become even more narrow for autistic or neurodiverse workers.”
About a fifth of U.S. adults self-identify as neurodivergent with a majority saying they always or usually feel that their brain works differently, according to a recent survey by research and analytics firm YouGov. They cite issues such as starting tasks before finishing others, being overwhelmed by social situations and struggling to focus.
Companies like Amazon, JPMorgan Chase, AT&T and Goldman Sachs have mandated workers to the office full-time, citing innovation, collaboration and culture, among others, for the change and threatening to fire those who don’t comply. The Trump administration has called back federal workers full time and ordered to end DEI programs, with President Donald Trump calling them “illegal and immoral discrimination.”[like flexibility]Some of these companies say they accommodate neurodivergent workers. JPMorgan Chase offers remote work, noise cancelling headphones, fixed seats, modified schedules, modified breaks and changes to the schedule for some employees. Amazon said that it provides accommodations in the office, such as spaces with low lighting and less distractions or noise. Margaret Callahan is an Amazon spokesperson. When Amazon cannot provide the necessary office accommodations, they will “work to find alternative arrangements”, she said. She added that Amazon still “believes that the benefits of being together are significant.” Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, owns The Washington Post. )
Even before pandemic, companies were required under the ADA to offer accommodations, which might include adjustable work schedules to people who disclosed their neurodivergence.
AT&T and Goldman Sachs declined to comment.
Some neurodivergent workers discovered success working remotely during the pandemic and don’t feel comfortable disclosing their diagnoses due to fear of and prior instances of discrimination. It’s easier to forget when you are one of a few remote workers. She does not want to be closely monitored by a manager. She was fired unexpectedly a few weeks after she informed her boss of her neurodivergence. “They don’t have empathy.”
For Matt Ketring who has been job searching since 2023, telling his boss about his ADHD, depression anxiety, and narcolepsy, destroyed his sense of security. Ketring, 37, said that he saw his former manager minimize the challenges of autism in front of a colleague, before telling Ketring to control his OCD. “It was world-shattering.”
He left his job and worries a future employer could force him into an office, where changes in setup and distractions drain him. He fears facing insensitivity from colleagues and managers.
Even when A’Biel Hammonds, a St.-Louis resident who works for an airport personnel company, got a remote accommodation from a former employer, her teammates often left her out of important conversations, she said. Hammonds, who has PTSD and fibromyalgia that exacerbates anxiety and depression, is waiting for the “RTO storm to pass,” hoping more employers will favor flexibility.
“In a remote-friendly company, people lean in more in engaging with people online,” she said.
Neurodivergent workers who spoke about their office struggles say even part-time remote work can be a game changer. Leaders should also trust their employees to do the work. “It is so important to have people listen if they are being forced to do it,” he explained. Your environment is critical to your ability to work. Businesses changing their office policies should evaluate practices and implement pandemic results. He said they could set up no-meeting hours, make empty offices quiet areas, or open conference rooms to socialize. They can also offer different lighting and temperature. Roth, of the Autism Society, said that employers can offer partitions between work and communal spaces, or noise-cancelling headphones. Riddle explained that employers should ask workers, “What works for you?” They can also request 10-hour days for an extra day of vacation or hours that work better for them. Domenique Camacho Moran is a partner at the New York law firm Farrell Fritz P.C.’s labor and employment department. But the ADA states accommodations must be “reasonable,” and it can be difficult to prove permanent remote work is needed, she added.
“Identifying ways employers can accommodate you as opposed to the accommodation you want the most is a good way to get what you need,” she said.
But strict office mandates have the potential to deter neurodivergent people who may approach problems differently.
They “bring something to the table. Not giving them the resources they need potentially pushes them away,” said Holli Gilvaie-Overholser, who has ADHD and works remotely from Austin at Sony Biotechnology Inc.
As for Palardy, she hopes more companies consider people like her when making return-to-office policies.
“I’m trying to function in a society that wasn’t built for me,” Palardy said.
