Tom Boyd, 27, volunteered at Waitrose in Cheadle Hulme for more than four years(Image: Frances Boyd)
Waitrose has said it is launching an “investigation” after an autistic man was told he couldn’t have a job after he’d worked without pay for more than four years at the supermarket. Tom Boyd, 27, has been undertaking work experience at the Cheadle Hulme branch in Greater Manchester for two complete mornings each week, primarily restocking shelves.
His mum, Frances, says that he’s contributed over 600 hours of his time “purely because he wanted to belong, contribute and make a difference”. However, when she enquired whether he could secure some paid hours, Frances said she was “shocked” by the “dismissive and cold” response.
According to Frances, Waitrose said Tom wouldn’t be offered paid employment at the store because he “couldn’t do the full role”. She has accused the supermarket of failing to make any “reasonable adjustments” for her disabled son, as required by law.
Waitrose says it “works hard” to be an “inclusive employer” and is “well experienced” in making reasonable adjustments to help people. But Frances says her son deserves better after proving his valuable contribution and commitment over the last four years.
Frances Boyd (pictured) has spoken out about how her son Tom ‘absolutely loved’ his job
After the media reported on the issue on Wednesday, Tom was offered a flexible and paid role by Asda. Now, Waitrose has told LADbible that the store would like to “welcome Tom back, in paid employment”.
A spokesperson told the outlet: “As those familiar with Waitrose will know, we care deeply about helping people into the workplace who might otherwise not be given a chance.
“As such, we warmly welcomed Tom and his support worker into our Cheadle Hulme branch to gain experience and build his confidence.
“We have policies in place to support volunteering and are investigating what’s happened in Tom’s situation. We’d like to welcome Tom back in paid employment and are seeking support from his family and the charity to do so. We hope to see him back with us very soon.”
Tom Boyd, 27, volunteered at Waitrose in Cheadle Hulme for more than four years(Image: Frances Boyd)
In a post on Facebook when she shared the initial issue, Frances wrote: “Our hearts are broken and we need to share this. Our autistic son has been treated so unfairly, and we feel deeply let down.
“For over four years, he’s been doing work experience at a Waitrose & Partners store in Cheadle Hulme. Every week, for two full mornings, he worked so hard – emptying four or more cages of stock, stacking shelves, and helping wherever he could.
“He loved it there. The shop staff was absolutely amazing with him and made him feel part of the team. Many of them would say things like, “You work harder than some people who are paid to work here.
“He gave over 600 hours of his time – purely because he wanted to belong, contribute, and make a difference. When we asked if there was any chance he could be offered just a few paid hours – not as charity, but as recognition for all the time, effort, and heart he’s given – we were shocked by how dismissive and cold the response was.
The manager said: ‘We can’t just let him do his thing’, when that’s exactly what he’s been doing successfully for years.” She continued: “After everything he’s done, there was no apology, no thanks, and no recognition for his commitment. Just silence.
“He deserved better. He deserved kindness, respect, and the chance for all his hard work to mean something.”
A Waitrose spokesperson said: “We work hard to be an inclusive employer. As part of this we partner with a number of charities, including to provide work experience, and are well experienced in making reasonable adjustments to help people succeed at work. We are sorry to hear of Tom’s story, and while we cannot comment on individual cases, we are investigating as a priority.”