Required to do unpaid training?

DFlights

Hello,

I work part-time now as a driver. I had to do H&S training, and driver assessment, as part of my training for the role, for which my time was paid.
Now work would like me to do online, on-going training, consisting of fifteen to thirty minute tests. There's no set number; it's ongoing training. Unfortunately, they want and expect me to do this at home, unpaid, in my own time, despite them saying that it's essential for the role (they want to train me up in every aspect of the store, despite the job advert and handbook stating my job is as a driver).

I don't want to spend a lot of my free time doing unpaid training, so how could I approach my managers about this? They can have us do the training on the work pc's in the office, when we're clocked in, so I'd rather do that if I need to.

I also really don't want to be trained on the tills; I applied for a job as a driver that said nothing about any other duties; I'm happy to do the warehouse/delivery work, putting stock away, etc.

My handbook states customer fufilment driver, but my contract states customer fulfilment assistant. I signed the contract because I needed the job, but I'm unhappy about both having to do unpaid training on my own computer at home, and also that they're pushing for me to do till work. If the position had been advertised as including customer service/shop floor work, I wouldn't have applied.

Skint_yet_Again

sorry I don't know the answer to either question - whether you should be paid for undertaking mandatory training or whether you can be required to undertake other duties - but acas may be able to help:

0300 123 1100 Monday-Friday, 8am-8pm and Saturday, 9am-1pm.

elsien

Just say you're not in a position to do it at home, but are happy to use the office computer in works time should it be required. If it's that essential, they can make time for it.
How badly do you need to keep the job?

asajj

Does your contract say anything about training and whether you would be required to take on extra duties?

Can you not treat this as a new skill that might be helpful to you in the future given that you needed a job and had to accept an offer (didn't have much option to choose) therefore it tells me you'd be lacking some skills to find another job easily.

For unpaid training time ( at home etc) contact ACAS as said above but check your contract first. If it says you would be asked to do it, then you signed it and accepted the condition.

DFlights

Hi thanks for the advice.

I'm not lacking in skills; I'm going to be forty next week and have worked since leaving uni in 1996, in a number of areas and for varying lengths of time (not a job-hopper).
I took on this job because I need something to keep me going while I build up my own business, and the employers were well aware of this when they interviewed me. During the interview, nothing was mentioned about on-going training. I will have to check my contract for what that says, but even if it contains the usual "other duties as required", I'd be very surprised if this was to include time spent at home, unpaid, doing training. I remember no phrase or wording that specifically says that, and I wouldn't have signed the contract if it did.
I'll ask to use the work pc in work time when next this issue comes up. Contacting ACAS sounds like a good idea, too.

ohreally

DFlights wrote: »

I'll ask to use the work pc in work time when next this issue comes up. Contacting ACAS sounds like a good idea, too.

Joining a trade union sounds a better idea - the signs are there.

getmore4less

The only law for paid time is minimum wage.

The time spent would count towards the calculation.

[Deleted User]

Now I feel justified!
Yeah I refused, alongside full time hours + unpaid overtime, to learn a system in own time, it had to be part of the goodbye

Who knows what nasties you may be installing on your own pc and yes you can have a job that doesn't match what you thought you'd be employed for, under the job description not being exhaustive

Modern Britain 2015