Overview
- Tom Boyd, 27, completed more than 600 hours of unpaid shelf-stacking at the Cheadle Hulme branch since 2021, working two short shifts each week with support workers.
- After his family requested a few paid hours, the store escalated the query to head office, which raised concerns about the extent of unpaid work and paused his shifts pending a resolution.
- He has not worked for more than two months, with branch staff previously praising his contribution and his mother saying he misses the routine.
- Waitrose said it is investigating the case as a priority and pointed to its work with charities and experience making reasonable adjustments.
- An employment lawyer said the long-term pattern may not meet criteria for genuine volunteering, while the family has been offered legal support but is seeking a path to paid work rather than litigation.