An autistic man has agreed to take up paid employment at Asda following weeks of controversy over his treatment by rivals Waitrose.
Tom Boyd, 28, will commence work at Waitrose as a “paid partner” next month after he accepted part-time work with Asda during the run-up to Christmas.
He previously contributed 600 hours of unpaid labour at the Cheadle Hulme branch of Waitrose in Greater Manchester before being told his placement must end.
The decision came after his mother, Frances Boyd, enquired about the possibility of her son receiving payment for his service.
Mr Boyd’s journey at Waitrose began in 2021 as part of a college placement, initially working just one hour weekly with a support worker accompanying him.
His responsibilities grew over time to include transporting stock from the warehouse to the shop floor, arranging products on shelves and ensuring displays remained fully stocked.
After leaving college, his hours expanded to two days per week.
His mother, a former charity director from Stockport, described how her son “absolutely loved” the role and the sense of independence it provided.
Tom Boyd was rejected by Waitrose after volunteering for four years
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frances.boyd.18/Instagram
“He loved that sense of belonging and the structure of going to work,” Mrs Boyd told BBC Breakfast.
The incident sparked widespread public criticism, prompting Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham to condemn Mr Boyd’s treatment as “truly terrible”.
Mr Burnham urged employers, including Waitrose, to adopt the Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s new Bee Neuro-inclusive Code of Practice.
Rival supermarket Asda stepped in with an offer of paid work, which Mrs Boyd described as “bittersweet” given the circumstances.
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Tom Boyd previously contributed 600 hours of unpaid labour at the Cheadle Hulme branch of Waitrose in Greater Manchester
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Waitrose subsequently reversed course and extended their own employment offer.
Mrs Boyd previously expressed her devastation on social media, questioning why her son was deemed unable to perform “the full role” when other employees at the same store faced similar limitations.
Her son has already begun working a few hours a week at Asda while awaiting his January start date at Waitrose.
His mother revealed he collected his Asda uniform over the weekend and is “very excited” about his new position.
“He’s very happy about going back to Waitrose as well,” Mrs Boyd added.
A Waitrose spokesman stated the company is “learning from this situation and working with charities and specialists” to ensure fair opportunities for people with neurodiversity going forward.