Autistic man who lost voluntary job at Waitrose to return in paid role
After Tom's story made the headlines and he was offered a job at Asda, Waitrose offered him his job back with pay
An autistic man who lost his voluntary job at Waitrose is returning to the store in a paid role.
Listen to this article
Tom Boyd, 28, had been working at a store branch in Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire, for four years, accompanied by a support worker.
But when his mother asked the supermarket chain in July if he could be offered a few paid hours the head office ended the work placement.
After his story made national headlines and he was offered a job at Asda, Waitrose offered him his job back with pay.
On Tuesday, the firm confirmed he would be returning to work in January, after the Christmas rush.
A Waitrose spokesman said: "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.
"We have Tom's best interests at heart and we've worked closely with his family throughout to ensure Tom gets the support he needs.
"We're learning from this situation and working with charities and specialists to make sure we can continue to offer fair and rewarding opportunities for people with neurodiversity."
Mr Boyd's case was raised in Parliament earlier this year, when Labour frontbencher Baroness Sherlock said providing opportunities and support for disabled people to thrive in work was a "priority".
After leaving Waitrose, Mr Boyd took up the role he was offered with Asda.
An Asda spokesman said: "When we heard about Tom's story and his determination to find meaningful work, we knew he would be a great addition to Asda and we're so pleased that he's now joined the team at our Cheadle Hulme store.
"Giving people with additional needs the chance to shine is something we're passionate about, because we've seen how much it benefits our colleagues and customers."