Tom Boyd, a 28-year-old autistic man who was dismissed from his unpaid shelf-stacking role at Waitrose after volunteering for years, has been offered a paid job at Asda. Boyd had worked at the Cheadle Hulme Waitrose store since 2021 with a support worker, a role his mother, Frances Boyd, said gave him 'a sense of purpose and belonging'.
In a Facebook post last Friday, Frances Boyd criticised Waitrose for declining to give her son a paid position despite his 600 hours of voluntary work, stating that he was 'treated so unfairly' and that the management's response was 'dismissive and cold'. She also claimed Waitrose failed to make reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010 for Tom, who has limited communication skills.
The post sparked widespread support, with Frances Boyd telling the BBC on Thursday that Asda had offered Tom two five-hour paid shifts per week, with flexibility if he struggles. The mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, condemned Waitrose's 'truly terrible' treatment of Tom on X and pledged to support neuroinclusive employment practices.
Following the backlash, Waitrose offered Boyd his job back in a paid capacity, but the offer was declined. A Waitrose spokesperson said the company was 'investigating as a priority' and expressed regret over the situation. Asda confirmed the hire, highlighting its supported internship programme and partnership with DFN Project Search.
