Waitrose has said it will welcome back a man with autism who was sacked after volunteering at a branch for four years. Tom Boyd’s mum, Frances, spoke of her heartbreak earlier this week when it was revealed her son had been forced out of a role he enjoyed.
Tom, 27, had carried out more than 600 hours stacking shelves for a Waitrose in Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester, since he started volunteering there in 2021. Aided by support workers, Tom had enjoyed going there, but when his family asked if he could be given a paid role the company let him go instead.
Publicity surrounding Tom’s situation, first reported by The Times, led to Waitrose announcing it had launched an investigation “as a priority”.
In a statement issued on Thursday, a company spokesperson said Waitrose cares deeply about helping people into the workplace who might otherwise not be given a chance.
They added: “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.”
Before Waitrose made the offer, Tom had received support from Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and a paid job offer from rival supermarket, Asda.
Mr Burnham described Tom’s treatment as “truly terrible” and had promised to help find him another role. Asda offered two five-hour paid shifts per week.
Tom’s mum had blamed Waitrose head office for turning down the request for paid work, claiming bosses had been alarmed by the amount of unpaid shifts he had done.
Mrs Boyd said her son had “absolutely loved” his role. She even told him the branch had been closed for cleaning to avoid upsetting him by telling him he couldn’t return.