Half Of People With ADHD Say They’ve Been Fired Or Lost Jobs Because Of It

Some research suggests that workers with ADHD are 60% more likely to be fired and 30% more likely to report chronic employment issues than those without ADHD. 

And according to a new survey conducted by UK ADHD clinic Focused, run in partnership with the ADHD Chatter Podcast, just under half of people asked (47%) said they’ve been fired or lost jobs partly due to their ADHD. 

59% of people surveyed with ADHD hadn’t told their employer about it, meanwhile, and 77% said that ADHD had negatively affected their performance at work.

Workers may be in a catch-22

Nurse practitioner and clinical lead at Focused, Danielle Mulligan, explained that though these stats are “sad,” they’re “probably not too surprising for many people with ADHD”. 

One in five neurodiverse workers has faced discrimination or harassment related to their disability at work.

“It’s common for symptoms like inattentiveness to make it seem like someone is disengaged in a conversation, which could easily not play well in meetings or in general workplace settings,” Mulligan told us.

Additionally, “Impulsivity and emotional dysregulation could escalate a difference of opinion into a more heated disagreement, which in an extreme case could turn unprofessional. And poor timekeeping might lead to repeated lateness that reaches the point of dismissal.” 

When these pile up, they might lead to a negative perception of a worker – particularly, Mulligan said, if their ADHD has not been disclosed and/or reasonable adjustments have not been put into place.

But speaking to HuffPost UK previously, career psychologist Dr George Sik said that many people who delay or avoid telling their employer about their ADHD are doing so to “protect themselves”. 

“There’s still a real fear of being judged as less capable or more difficult to manage, even when someone is performing well. For a lot of people, waiting feels safer than risking the label being misunderstood.

“However, when it’s starting to affect your workload or wellbeing, that might be a sign that staying silent is costing more than speaking up”.

For her part, Mulligan said, “While it’s up to the employee to tell their employer about their diagnosis, it’s probable that many employers could do more to make sharing this info easier, and less riddled with feelings of uncertainty.”