Training Rights

tompritchard

As the recession and government cut backs look likely to cause quite a few job losses in the coming months (in the public sector at least) it might be worth trying to get as much training as possible out of your current employer. I was surprised to read that:

'Since the start of the new financial year in April UK employees have been given the legal right to request training. The new legislation from the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills, means that employers with 250 or more employees now have to seriously consider an eligible employee's formal request for time away in order to undertake training.

Within 28 days of receiving a valid request an employer must accept the request and inform the employee in writing or meet with the employee to discuss their request - and within 14 days of that meeting, inform the employee of a decision in writing.
Source: http://www.growthengineering.co.uk/news/news.php?NID=13
So if you think you might be losing your job, it might be worth checking out your rights a bit more. My motto has always been if you cant get a pay rise or promotion, get training and learn as much as you can on the job.

dmg24

You have the right to request pretty much anything at work. Requesting it and receiving it are two very different things!

Caffca

There's also no statutory entitlement to be paid while you are off training; no requirement for the employer to pay for the training and a limit of one application (not training course) per employee every 12 months

Oldernotwiser

In my experience, during hard times the first thing to be cut is the training budget.

sirlurus

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

In my experience, during hard times the first thing to be cut is the training budget.

I completely agree with you, even when training is mandatory to a job companies are prepared to run the risk of not training as it is cheaper in the short term, the problems occur when something goes wrong

Hammyman

We were given the right to ask for flexible hours for family reasons. Has anyone outside the public sector ever got what they asked for?

dmg24

Hammyman wrote: »

We were given the right to ask for flexible hours for family reasons. Has anyone outside the public sector ever got what they asked for?

Again, everyone has the right to ask for flexible working, but that does not mean the request will be granted. Nonetheless, I know of several people who have been granted adjusted hours/ flexible working, and a fair few that have not, both in the public and private sector.

Caffca

Hammyman wrote: »

We were given the right to ask for flexible hours for family reasons. Has anyone outside the public sector ever got what they asked for?

I'm in private sector and this month I approved a flexible working request for one of my team who wanted to reduce her hours for childcare reasons.

kingfisherblue

I am a voluntary director for a small local charity and if we were asked for flexible working, we would certainly consider it. When one employee wanted to take her daughter to and from school for the first few weeks, we offered her the flexibility to do so, and to make up her hours at other times without any loss of status or pay. She did not make a formal request for permanant flexible working as she just wanted to settle her daughter into school for the first few weeks, but I believe that it is important for employers to support their staff in times such as this. If she puts in a formal request, it will be considered by the personnel committee.