An autistic volunteer worker who was sacked from his role at Waitrose has reportedly been offered a new job at rival grocer, Asda.
Tom Boyd, 27, had been volunteering twice a week for more than four years, pouring all of his heart and effort from 9.30am to 2pm, stacking shelves and unloading stock at their Cheadle Hulme store.
His mother, Frances Boyd, said on Facebook that he did it ‘purely because he wanted to belong, contribute and make a difference.’
His sacking, which happened after they asked if he could have a paid position, caused outrage in the UK.
But now, his mum says Asda has reached out with a job offer for two five-hour paid shifts a week.
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‘It’s overwhelming, and they are flexible to say if at any time he is struggling, they are fine.
‘How amazing that a company could do this.’
Previously, his mum said he ‘loved’ the sense of belonging and structure of going into work.
‘We’ve told him he was a working man once he started to go out and finish college, and he used to say: ‘I’m working like my dad and my brother’,’ she said.
Despite his commitment and reliability, problems arose when she and his support workers asked Waitrose if there was a possibility he could have a few hours of paid work.
The request was not for charity but recognition of the time and unpaid work he had dedicated to the store.
It is understood that the branch took the request to the head office, who were concerned by the amount of free work Tom had done – and that he would not be able to continue until the situation had been resolved.
A Waitrose spokesperson said: ‘We work hard to be an inclusive employer. As part of this, we partner with a number of charities, including providing 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, are investigating as a priority.’
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