Jonathon and Daryl
Content Warning: These stories are about violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation and may include references to suicide or self-harming behaviours. They may contain graphic descriptions and strong language and may be distressing. Some narratives may be about First Nations people who have passed away. If you need support, please see Contact & support.
Jonathon is a young man in his early 20s. He is autistic and has schizophrenia.
Jonathon lives at home with his parents and has a part-time carer. He has siblings with disability.
When Jonathon left school, he worked three days a week in supported employment.
Daryl said Jonathon had been there about a year when there was an ‘incident’. People were alarmed when Jonathon, appearing upset, suddenly left the tearoom with some plastic cutlery.
‘Everyone thought he was gonna hurt someone. In fact, he said he would not hurt anyone but himself. But he wouldn't do that anyway.’
Staff asked Jonathon’s carer to ‘come and get him and take him to hospital’.
Daryl feels the employer should have notified him immediately and called an ambulance.
‘[At the hospital] we worked out that the meds had been changed. So, I then arranged for him to see a psychiatrist.’
The psychiatrist gave Jonathon the go-ahead to go back to work. Despite that, the employer laid him off indefinitely.
‘He ended up being off work for quite a long time before they would agree to take him back. That's when our friend COVID came into play.’
The employer retained most staff but stood down all the supported workers.
‘They used up their annual leave, so they still got paid … a pittance,’ Daryl said.
‘Here's a company that is making more money off the back of a disabled person than they are off general staff. I mean, you can't tell me that's good.’
Meanwhile, Daryl found out that some of the employer’s support staff had been bullying Jonathon and other supported workers. When he returned to work, ‘the bullying continued’.
One day on the bus, Jonathon stood up to one of the bullies who was upsetting another worker. The bully hit Jonathon, who retuned the punch.
‘So, because of that, he was put off straight away.’
Daryl met with ‘the big boss’ to talk it over.
‘You knew when you walked in the room, they had made up their mind … And a couple of days later, we get a letter saying he's terminated.’
Daryl said the employer refused to take any responsibility.
‘It wasn't their fault … anything that happened on those buses.’
He got the same ‘closed book’ reaction when he complained about the supervisors, some of who made ‘really rude remarks about disabled people’.
Daryl said Jonathon ‘was out of work for a while’ but is now working with a community support group.
‘He mows one day a week … And his money's a lot better.’
Jonathon earns $16 an hour instead of $3.50 at his previous employer.
With his current medications, he ‘is his normal self and he's really good’.
Daryl feels people with disability should have better job opportunities.
‘They get all the mundane jobs.’
Disclaimer: This is the story of a person who shared their personal experience with the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability through a submission or private session. The names in this story are pseudonyms. The person who shared this experience was not a witness and their account is not evidence. They did not take an oath or affirmation before providing the story. Nothing in this story constitutes a finding of the Royal Commission. Any views expressed are those of the person who shared their experience, not of the Royal Commission.