Baylor and Dottie
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.
Baylor works for a Disability Employment Services provider, which also operates several businesses employing people with disability. Baylor is autistic, has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and Asperger’s syndrome.
Dottie was a foster parent for Baylor when he was a child and is his main advocate now.
Lately, Baylor has been telling her about episodes of bullying and mistreatment in his workplace. His manager routinely abuses him.
‘He’s been yelled at, he’s actually had his manager stand over him for reporting workplace health and safety incidences, shaking his finger in his face.’
One time, a supported employee was called to do a task that he didn’t know how to do, so he asked Baylor for advice. Baylor didn’t know either.
‘They were too afraid to approach their team leader because he’s one of the ones swearing at them,’ Dottie said.
When they couldn’t work out what to do, the supported employee burst into tears. As Baylor comforted him, another supported employee started crying as well.
‘There was no-one there so [Baylor] runs up to the office, has to tell an office girl. She says “What are you doing here?” He said, “I need help, I need help.”’
A general manager came to see what was happening, and sent Baylor back to work.
‘Now, where is it right that a supported employee is having to support two other supported employees who are emotionally in trouble and he himself is upset? He did not even get asked if he was okay. He got told, “[Baylor], get back to work. Fuck off, get back to work.” What do you do with that?’
Dottie said that Baylor is ‘not the only supported employee who has been treated to swearing, denigration, disrespect’.
‘But there’s also an issue of neglect because he can’t even tell me who his support worker is. He hasn’t had one. And I’ve got an admission from senior managers that they are under ratio and yet they are billing [the NDIS] … for providing supports they’re not providing.’
Baylor is depending on Dottie for support.
‘His words were, “Mum, can you fix this, can you fix this, not just for me but can you fix this for [Josh], for [Caleb], for [Bobby], for [Thomas]?”’
These are Baylor’s peers. Some of them, Dottie says, have aged parents who ‘don’t understand the system’.
'[Baylor] has got absolute faith in me. And I said to my husband, “I can’t let him down, I’ve got to try, even if I don’t know what I’m doing. I’ve got to try.’”
Dottie has contacted the organisation to report what’s happening, but at a recent meeting the manager told her she hadn’t received any of her complaints. Dottie intends to follow up further with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission and other agencies.
‘I feel like you can’t treat human beings like this. You can’t swear at people in the workplace, you can’t call them names. It’s not acceptable. They’re human beings.’
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.