Waitrose job U-turn over rejected autistic worker

Waitrose has reversed its decision not to offer paid work to an autistic man after initially saying he had to stop stacking shelves at the store where he had volunteered for four years.

In July, Frances Boyd asked whether her 28-year-old son Tom Boyd could be given a job at the supermarket in Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester, but her request was eventually rejected by Waitrose head office.

On Thursday, rival chain Asda said it wanted to offer Tom paid shifts at its Cheadle Hulme store.

Responding to Waitrose's U-turn, Frances said: "We are going to think about it and decide whether it is in Tom's best interests to return... and are having further discussions with Waitrose."

A spokesman for Waitrose said: "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. 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."

Frances said she had been "overwhelmed" by how people had responded to her talking about her son's experiences.

Tom, who has limited communication skills, was praised for his work ethic by managers. "He gave over 600 hours of his time purely because he wanted to belong, contribute, and make a difference," said his mum.

Frances praised and thanked staff at Waitrose's Cheadle Hulme store for supporting him, adding: "They included him and were absolutely brilliant. I think he was just under the radar - all was running smoothly until it went to head office."

Tom and his mum have been backed by Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham. He posted on X that Tom had received "truly terrible" treatment and promised to "support him to find another placement that works". Burnham said the Greater Manchester Combined Authority "would encourage all employers - including Waitrose - to sign up to our brand new Bee Neuroinclusive Code of Practice".

Speaking with Frances, who broke the news of Tom's Asda job offer on BBC Radio Manchester, the Labour mayor said: "Good on you for raising awareness because we need a huge awareness campaign here."  She accepted his offer to become an advocate for the campaign.

'My autistic son deserved better from Waitrose'


Tom Boyd had stacked shelves as a volunteer at his local Waitrose for years

The mother of an autistic man who was told he had to stop stacking shelves at a Waitrose store where he had worked as a volunteer for years has said he "deserved better".

Frances Boyd said her son Tom, 28, began work experience at the Cheadle Hulme store in Greater Manchester in 2021, and continued to work unpaid, accompanied by a support worker, as it gave him "a sense of purpose and belonging".

However, she said when she asked if he could be offered "just a few paid hours" in July, the supermarket chain's head office told him he had to stop and could not return to the store.

A spokesman said Waitrose "worked hard to be an inclusive employer" and was investigating the matter "as a priority".

Ms Boyd said Tom, who has limited communication skills, started at the store as part of his skills development for the workplace on his further education course, and continued to volunteer on two mornings a week.

She said he was "so proud of his work", which involved putting stock out and tidying the shelves, and was praised for his work ethic by managers. "If I went in and saw him, he was smiling, and it gave him independence, a sense of purpose and belonging. He gave over 600 hours of his time purely because he wanted to belong, contribute, and make a difference. We feel deeply let down."

A Waitrose & Partners spokesman said it worked with a number of charities to provide work experience and was "well experienced in making reasonable adjustments to help people succeed at work".

"We are sorry to hear of Tom's story and whilst we cannot comment on individual cases, we are investigating as a priority," he said.

Ms Boyd said his placement was stopped when the firm's head office was asked about the possibility of paid work. She said she was told it was because he "couldn't perform the whole role".

"He deserved better," she added. "He deserved kindness, respect and the chance for all his hard work to mean something. No-one should be made to feel their contribution doesn't matter, especially someone who's given so much of themselves for so long."

Volunteers do not have the same rights as an employee or worker, according to the government, though there are expectations for those undertaking vocational training.

The guidance states that those who volunteer should usually get a volunteer agreement that sets out the level of supervision and support they will receive. It should also include advice on training and whether they were covered by the organisation's insurance, as well as information about expenses and health and safety issues. However, the agreements are not compulsory and do not form a contract.

Ms Boyd said she wanted to see legal protections like those afforded to employees by the Equality Act to extend to volunteers to ensure they have "rights and opportunities".

"They can be terminated at any time and that's not really the way we should be moving forward in society today," she added.