Confused about when to ask!

ConfusedAgain

I'm on a training contract at my current job and have been feeling for a long time now that it's just not for me.

My ideal job is in a highly competitive field and I didn't think I had a chance of ever getting there (even the degree courses to retrain required references I didn't have!).

The T&Cs of my contract are that, if I choose to leave before it finishes, I have to pay back the fees so the original plan was to just stick it out until I finished training (or until I got fired for failing exams, which, given recent performances, is looking like a gloomy possibility!). However, recently, I've started to make progress on the "dream job" and have even been offered interviews for work experience.

I've been a good saver in the past so, up to a certain point, I could buy myself out of contract. However, the only way to find out what the fee I need to pay back is to ask HR - which would imply I'm leaving, which I don't want to do until I definitely have another place to go. On the other hand, I don't want to accept another position only to then find out that I can't afford to leave my old job.

Sorry for the complicated set of facts - hope I've explained them clearly enough. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Googlewhacker

If it were me I would get the new job and then speak to HR and state that you understand you need to pay back a certain amount of money but you cannot afford to pay this back in one go. Please can I arrange a payment plan.

The employer would be very silly to refuse this offer (no guarantees they won't though!)

donquine

You may find that HR will refuse to tell you until you hand in your notice or get served your notice.

You may also find that if you move outside of your current field (ie you don't go to a competitor), you don't get pursued for the fees in practice.

Hard to say without knowing what field you're in!

Sambucus_Nigra

'I'm going through a financial review and need all information pertaining to debts outstanding so, as a worst case scenario, could you let me know the total value of the potential debt that I have signed up for please? By that, I mean the potential cost of the fees for this course. Thanks.'

Savvy_Sue

do your t&c not give details of what you'd have to repay / what timescale this would apply to?

Sambucus_Nigra

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

do your t&c not give details of what you'd have to repay / what timescale this would apply to?

The terms and conditions wouldn't refer to the actual cost of the course would they? Just the general terms....