Lindsey Demers is a Ph.D. She held the role of Assistant Professor of Medicine at Boston University.
As director of the Educational Evaluation Core, she studies the effectiveness of educational interventions in medical schools. Next, she had to conduct a workplace intervention herself.
She says things started to change in 2021 and 2022 when she revealed her invisible disability and asked for accommodations. Lindsay was diagnosed with autism in 2020. She found ways to juggle her workday by seeking and receiving accommodations for her.
But despite working at a well-respected university conducting original research in the field, she didn’t feel heard.
“It wasn’t until I became more vocal about equality and accessibility that I realized that some key people I was working with had really outdated ideas,” she says. said.
She says she tried to have a constructive conversation. When that didn’t work, she turned to her boss and the organization’s Equal Opportunity Office.
She then filed a complaint with the Massachusetts Commission on Discrimination (MCAD), a free resource for people who feel they have been discriminated against.
In her complaint, she cited comments her supervisor made about people with disabilities, saying they were unreliable and could not be trusted to perform their jobs.
Experts say accommodations for the mentally ill should be protected by law, but it can be difficult for employees to come forward. A Boston University employee who shared her personal experience said requests for autism accommodations led to discrimination and retaliation. Follow NBC10 Boston… Instagram: instagram.com/nbc10boston TikTok: tiktok.com/@nbc10boston Facebook: facebook.com/NBC10Boston X: twitter.com/NBC10Boston
“I don’t believe this person has any malicious intent,” she said. “But they have a sense of really internalizing the medical model of disability, and they see it as a problem that needs to be treated.”
Lindsey also claimed retaliation after disclosing her disability. Boston University’s Office of Equal Opportunity later concluded that there was insufficient evidence of discrimination because her employment and salary were unaffected.
“Once you get to Boston. That was my favorite framework. tHe is where I really want to train,” Jonas Atillas said. He began his medical education at his medical center in Boston, but his experience there quickly turned sour. “There was a sense that I couldn’t understand things because I didn’t speak English well enough, or that I couldn’t understand things because my accent was too strong…Most of the things I said were like: When it comes to my identity, it’s like they’re being used against me.”
Jonas, a Haitian immigrant who has been diagnosed with anxiety and PTSD, said he was put in situations where his anxiety triggered a physical reaction. Eventually, he left the program without filing any complaints.
“My finding is that discrimination is at least as prevalent in institutions where there are many titles such as Ph.D.,” attorney Robert Hernandez said. He works with the Mental Health Legal Advisory Board. He said people requesting accommodations are protected under Massachusetts law.
But coming forward isn’t easy, and many people don’t.
A 2023 study published in the National Library of Medicine specifically focused on the experiences of doctors with autism.
Only half of those who requested accommodations at work actually received them.
The study also found that respondents had poorer mental health and higher rates of suicidal ideation, especially when autism was considered a disability.
“Typically, the top three complaints filed with MCAD are complaints of discrimination based on disability. And as you know, over the past year and several years, that number has started to increase,” Massachusetts said Michael Menmoro, new executive director of the Anti-Discrimination Committee.
MCAD reports that mental health claims have declined during the pandemic, rising to 203 claims last year from 133 the year before. Lindsey’s claims have not yet been resolved. ““I came forward because my concerns go beyond my experience,” she said.
But when asked if this problem was unique to universities, she replied: “I think this is a problem everywhere. ”
“And I think what’s most discouraging to me is because of the environment I’m in, because I’m in a medical setting where I see a lot of vulnerable patients. Understand a little more. I think it will deepen.”
Boston University could not provide specific comments for our story, but referred us to the Office of Equal Opportunity, whose mission is to: “We uphold the principles of equal opportunity throughout the University community and promote an environment in which faculty, staff, and students can engage in work and study free from unlawful harassment, discrimination, or access barriers. ”
Boston Medical Center says, “The mental health and well-being of our patients, employees, residents, fellows, attending physicians, and advanced care providers is our top priority.”
MCAD will investigate the complaint and determine whether discrimination occurred. Remedies include compensation for lost wages and mediation services.
