A 27-year-old man with severe autism has been prevented from continuing his volunteer work at a Waitrose store after his family requested he receive payment for his efforts.
Tom Boyd had been providing unpaid assistance at the Cheadle Hulme branch for four years, completing over 600 hours of work stacking shelves and emptying stock cages.
The situation arose when his mother Frances, a charity worker from Stockport, and his support team approached the supermarket last year seeking modest paid hours as "recognition for the time, effort and heart" he had contributed.
Following their request, the store's head office became concerned about the extent of unpaid work Mr Boyd had undertaken and halted his shifts whilst they addressed the matter.
Mr Boyd began his voluntary role in 2021, working two days weekly from 9.30am until 2pm whilst accompanied by a support worker who ensured his safety.
Despite having extremely limited verbal communication skills, he became a valued presence at the store, with colleagues reportedly commenting that he demonstrated greater dedication than some paid employees.
His responsibilities involved handling stock cages and arranging products on shelves, tasks he performed enthusiastically over his four-year tenure.
The 27-year-old's mother explained that whilst her son could not interact directly with customers due to his communication limitations, his support workers were available to facilitate any necessary exchanges.
Tom Boyd was praised for his voluntary work
|Support workers subsequently met with store personnel who confirmed that converting Mr Boyd to paid employee status would not be feasible.
It has now been over two months since he last completed a shift at the supermarket.
Mrs Boyd expressed her distress at the situation, describing herself as "heartbroken" and criticising what she called the "cold, harsh, big corporate company that doesn't see that young person as an individual."
To protect her son's feelings, she has told him "the shop is being cleaned" rather than explaining the true circumstances.
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Waitrose said they are investigating the incident
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She praised the shop floor staff as "amazing" and stressed they bore no responsibility for the head office decision.
The family and support workers are now exploring opportunities at other supermarkets or cleaning positions, as Mr Boyd enjoys dusting, vacuuming and making beds.
A Waitrose spokesman stated: "We work hard to be an inclusive employer.
"As part of this, we partner with a number of charities, including to provide work experience, and are well experienced in making reasonable adjustments to help people succeed at work.
They continued: "We are sorry to hear of Tom's story, and whilst we cannot comment on individual cases, we are investigating as a priority."