An autistic man who was told he could no longer stack shelves at Waitrose when he asked to be paid has been offered a job by Asda.
Tom Boyd, 28, began volunteering unpaid at the branch of Waitrose in Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester, in 2021, supported by a care worker, to develop skills for the workplace on a further education course he was taking.
The work gave him a sense of “purpose and belonging”, his mother, Frances Boyd, told the BBC.
When she asked in July if he could be paid for a few hours every week, however, the supermarket’s head office told him he had to stop and could not return to the shop.
Ms Boyd said they felt “deeply let down” by the decision as he had taken great pride in his work, which included putting out stock and tidying the shelves.
“If I went in and saw him, he was smiling, and it gave him independence, a sense of purpose and belonging,” she said.
“He gave over 600 hours of his time purely because he wanted to belong, contribute, and make a difference…
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“He deserved better. He deserved kindness, respect and the chance for all his hard work to mean something.”
Mr Boyd has now been offered two paid five-hour shifts each week by Asda.
“It’s overwhelming and they are flexible to say if at any time he is struggling they are fine,” his mother said.
“How amazing that a company could do this.”
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Welcoming the news on X, Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham said he hoped it would lead to more employers accepting a neurodivergent code of best practice he has launched.
An Asda spokesperson said that when the store heard about Mr Boyd’s desire to find meaningful work they knew he would be a “fantastic fit” and were delighted to offer him a role.
“We know that finding meaningful work can be especially challenging for individuals with learning disabilities or difficulties,” they said.
“Asda has a Supported Internship Programme and partnership with DFN Project SEARCH, through which we have welcomed over 30 talented new colleagues into roles across our stores. We have seen the positive impact this has for the individuals who join and for our colleagues and customers too.”
A Waitrose spokesperson said they “care deeply” about helping people into the workplace who might not otherwise be given a chance and that the chain is currently investigating what happened to Mr Boyd.
“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,” they added.
