Hard-working Tom Boyd put in 600 hours of voluntary work at his local Waitrose in Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester, but was let go when his mum asked for a few paid hours
Everything we know about the Waitrose job U-turn:
- A volunteer shelf-stacker with autism will now be paid by Waitrose months after they sparked outrage by letting him go from his role when his mum asked if he could get paid for some shifts.
- Grafter Tom Boyd, 28, put in more than 600 hours in over four years of work experience at his local store in Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester.
- But when his mum Frances suggested in July they might give him a few paid hours as “recognition for the time, effort and heart” he had put in to his role, the store abruptly ended the arrangement in a PR disaster that triggered a public outcry.
- And after a u-turn in October, the upmarket chain has now said Tom has accepted its offer of paid employment and he will start his job in the new year. In the meantime, he is currently working a few hours a week at his local Asda.
- A spokesman said today: “We’re delighted that Tom has accepted our offer of paid employment and looking forward to welcoming him to start in January, as requested by his family.
- Frances previously claimed problems arose when she asked bosses at the store if Tom could have a few hours of paid work as recognition for “the time, effort and heart” he had given since 2021, when he started volunteering twice a week.
READ THE FULL STORY: Autistic volunteer ‘sacked’ by Waitrose finally gets paid job as supermarket makes U-turn
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