Tom Boyd, a 28-year-old autistic man who volunteered as a shelf stacker at a Waitrose store in Cheadle Hulme for over 600 hours since 2021, has been offered a paid job at Asda after being asked not to return when he requested a few hours of paid work.
Boyd’s mother, Frances Boyd, expressed her disappointment in a Facebook post, stating that Waitrose declined to give her son a paid role despite his dedication, and that he was dismissed without apology or recognition. She noted that the supermarket had not made reasonable adjustments for his limited communication skills, as required by the Equality Act 2010.
The post sparked widespread support, leading to an offer from Asda for two five-hour paid shifts per week. Frances Boyd described the offer as “overwhelming” and praised Asda’s flexibility. Waitrose later offered Boyd his unpaid role back in a paid capacity, but this was declined.
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham criticised Waitrose’s treatment of Boyd and invited his mother to be an ambassador for the Bee Neuroinclusive code of practice, which encourages employers to support neurodivergent employees. Waitrose said it was investigating the matter, while Asda highlighted its supported internship programme for individuals with autism or learning disabilities.
