Are you an employer seeking to better understand and communicate with your autistic employees? Are you an autistic employee who has been frequently fired, demoted, or put on a performance plan without fully understanding why? My new book, Before You Fire Them: A Practical Guide to Understanding Your Autistic Employee’s Traits, Intentions, and Communication Style, can help you no matter which side of the employer/employee aisle you’re on!
Neurotypical Employers
As a neurotypical (non-autistic) employer, you may find yourself frustrated with frequent miscommunication and training barriers you’ve experienced with your neurodivergent hires. You’ve gone through the neurodiversity training, and you want to be inclusive, but there’s still too much friction between you and your autistic employees to connect and get on the same page.
It’s not your fault!
You and your autistic employee speak two different neurological languages. Neither of you is wrong, arguing, or trying to cause problems; you’re just misunderstanding each other! You both mean well, but something is getting lost in translation.
Before You Fire Them explains real-world examples of common misunderstandings supervisors and autistic employees have with each other, and offers practical accommodations you can implement immediately for each challenge you face.
Autistic Employees
As an autistic employee, you may be painfully familiar with being written up, demoted, or even fired without warning or explanation. If you’re anything like me, it’s happened to you many times, and no matter what you’ve tried to do, how you’ve tried to mask or alter your behavior, the cycle continues with seemingly no end in sight.
It’s not your fault!
You and your neurotypical employer are speaking two different languages! Your natural way of communicating, behaving, and being is offending your employer and colleagues, even though causing any type of friction is the last thing on your mind!
Before You Fire Them offers you, as an autistic person, insight into the stark contrast between your intentions and how your neurotypical manager and colleagues perceive you. You’ll get a glimpse into how many neurotypical people think, how they learn, and what they need. And, if your employer is open to it, you can sit down with this book and them and discuss practical steps to reduce misunderstandings and get the accommodations you need.
Early Praise for Before You Fire Them
Early readers have been loving this book! Scroll through to read what they had to say.
“This book is a godsend!”
“As a late-diagnosed autistic woman who has struggled in the workplace for years, this book is a godsend! It should be required reading for every manager.
This book clearly goes through so many different situations (many that I’ve experienced) and explains what an autistic employee may be thinking or feeling and how neurotypical mangers can better support and accommodate them. It essentially provides a “translation” guide to help employees and managers whose brains sort of speak different languages to better understand one another and work together more effectively.
The format of this book is easy to navigate and understand and it covers a wide variety of situations and misunderstandings that might come up in the workplace. A high percentage of autistic people are un- or underemployed due to the unique challenges we face in the workplace, and this book is an important resource for hopefully starting to correct that situation and create more inclusive workplaces.”
M. Maher
“This book will revolutionize your understanding of your autistic employees in an afternoon.”
“This compact, accessible book will revolutionize your understanding of your autistic employees in an afternoon. Even better, it’s organized so you can look up a situation you’re facing, get an explanation of what’s really going on, and find suggestions for what to do.
This book shows that the “difficult behavior” you are seeking solutions to often is not an attempt to cause disruption but rather is a strategy your autistic employee is using to do their job more effectively. Jaime A. Heidel masterfully shows that autistic work habits are responses to genuine underlying disabilities, not traits of an inflexible or insubordinate personality.
When understood on their own terms and allowed to co-create their work environments, your autistic team member can be everything you want in a model employee. This book will help you unlock that potential for your organization. Read it. Now. Read it again later as difficult situations arise. Your entire business will benefit from it.”
Janette R.
“This book isn’t just a primer; it’s a bridge.”
“Before You Fire Them is such an important and impactful addition to the conversation around neurodiversity in the workplace. What sets it apart is how clearly and compassionately it moves the discussion from theory into practice with real-world examples, practical guidance, and a steady undercurrent of empathy throughout. The message comes through loud and clear: it’s not on autistic employees to fix themselves, but on organizations to better understand how different brains communicate, process, and contribute.
Some of the most powerful takeaways for me were the honest reflections on how autistic employees can excel at the core work itself, but struggle with “the social part of being an employee” – something that’s rarely acknowledged but so critical to address. I also found the explanation of how evolutionary threat-detection systems can create instinctive misunderstandings between neurotypical and autistic colleagues to be one of the most original and helpful frameworks I’ve seen. And as always, Jaime’s ability to weave in humor and vulnerability makes even the toughest concepts feel human and approachable.
While the guide is clearly written with managers in mind, I think it’s just as valuable for HR teams, DEI consultants, neurodivergent professionals, and anyone who wants to be a better colleague or leader. It doesn’t try to be a legal or procedural manual – and it doesn’t need to. What Jaime has created speaks to the heart of where misunderstandings begin and how to start shifting them.
This book isn’t just a primer; it’s a bridge. And I genuinely believe it should be required reading for anyone serious about building a workplace where neurodivergent people are not just included but understood and supported.”
Diana Mirakaj-Finnerty
“Clear, thorough, and concise!”
“I believe that every manager should have the understanding provided by this book. Your employee may not even know they are neurodivergent, but if you can find a better way of navigating each other’s quirks, both parties will shine for it!
I didn’t realize until late in life that I am on the spectrum. Looking back on jobs I held up to that point, I realized that most of my struggles have stemmed from a lack of understanding (on my part as well as my manager’s) that I simply think differently.
This book is clear, thorough, and concise. It presents a variety of scenarios and common misconceptions perceived by both the neurodivergent and neurotypical, and aims to explain the reasons for the differences in perceptions and understanding.
Above all, you will be able to gain a foundational understanding that although your employee may be a little quirky, they still bring value to the table. When they are able to work under circumstances that are compassionate and supportive, they will bring a new level of their true selves to the team, which will add value to both you and your employee.”
Chris M.
“Looking forward to adding this book to my personal and professional libraries!”
“I am always on the lookout for useful material to help me better understand Autism as an HR Professional and parent of an Autist. Before You Fire Them is filled with detailed examples of specific behaviors that could be commonly misunderstood.
I appreciate the organized format, practical examples for accommodations, and the humor sprinkled throughout. This should be a “Must Read” for HR Professionals and Hiring Managers. I am looking forward to adding this book to my personal and professional libraries!”
Heather Hauser
HR Professional
“Boldly authentic examples of how well-meaning autistic employees are often misunderstood.”
“This book offers some of the most boldly authentic examples of how capable, well-meaning autistic employees are often misunderstood and wrongfully punished in the workplace. The structured and organized approach presents the subject matter in a way that is easy to follow and understand from my perspective, and hopefully, it will resonate with neurotypical managers, as well.
While the intent of the book is to stop shaming and blaming autistic employees for traits that are innate to them, I think Jaime did a great job of framing the intent of the book as not to shame and blame neurotypicals but to facilitate understanding and address the “double-empathy problem” as it presents itself in the workplace.
As someone with ADHD and ASD, Level 1, I relate strongly to the situations and the feelings of confusion and distress she described. These examples are so spot-on and illustrative of how frequently they come up and the great lengths neurodivergent people have to go to trying to understand neurotypical perspectives, so we can adapt our behaviors and communication patterns to better “fit” their expectations of social norms. However, as neurodivergent individuals experience daily, that same effort is not reciprocated in terms of neurotypicals trying to understand us, hence the “double empathy problem.”
If a neurotypical manager were to read this book with an earnest intent to really learn what it is like to be an autistic employee in a neurotypical society, I believe it could make a world of difference for their neurodivergent employees.”
Robert R.
“I’ve never felt so seen.”
“This is a stunning piece of work in its depth, breadth, and how it manages to address the double empathy problem head-on. As an autistic person, I’ve never felt so seen and had my traits explained in such a sensible fashion. Neurotypical people who are truly invested in understanding their autistic colleagues will benefit from this book hugely. Well done!”
Anu D.
“A powerful tool for HR professionals, managers, and workplace trainers.”
“As a parent of a 26-year-old autistic son navigating the complexities of work and life, I’ve seen firsthand the gaps and failures in how workplaces understand, support, and retain neurodivergent employees. Across industries, there’s a persistent misunderstanding of what neurodivergence really is—and how it presents in day-to-day life.
Advocating for autism inclusion has become my life’s mission, and Before You Fire Them is an invaluable resource in that work.
Jaime has done a phenomenal job structuring this book in a clear, functional way. The real-world workplace scenarios explored here highlight the subtle but significant barriers that often lead to job loss or missed opportunities for neurodivergent individuals.
From my experience, communication is the single biggest factor behind most employment challenges—and this book addresses that head-on. The focus on common autistic traits is immediately relevant and applicable, and the glossary is a game-changer for those unfamiliar with this space.
The use of terms like “Confronting Trait,” “Neurotypical Perception,” and “Autistic Intention” reframes the conversation and gives readers a foundation they can easily apply to real situations.
I highly recommend Before You Fire Them as a powerful tool for HR professionals, managers, and workplace trainers. I’ll be incorporating it into my own training programs and sharing it widely with employers who are ready to do better.”
Denise S.
“This book helped me understand neurotypical perception in ways I’d not yet considered.”
“Before You Fire Them presents as a translation guide meant to dispel common misconceptions of Autistic employees. The guide helps allistic people learn how misperception of their colleagues’ intentions can lead to misunderstandings with traumatic consequences.
Jaime A. Heidel brilliantly demystifies complex interactions. As an Autistic person, I was surprised by how much this book helped me understand neurotypical perception in ways I’d not yet considered. This highly accessible guide will be a valuable resource for promoting neurodiversity at work.
Burnett Grant
Before You Fire Them will be available in August of 2025. Click here to join the mailing list and be one of the first people to receive a purchase link as soon as it’s listed for sale!