Employer suddenly wants me to sign agreement to pay back training fees if I leave

fps01

Hi, so I'm currently employed within the NHS and have been here for the past 2 years. Last year I secured a new position which was classed as a training role. Since January when I secured the post I have been paid 75% of the proper salary on the expectation that this will rise to 100% of the salary after 1 year in the post having completed 2 courses my employer requires me to sit. The first course I attended in February of this year and my second (last) course is booked for 1 weeks time. Out of the blue my employer has suddenly approached me to say that they would like me to sign a 'training contract' agreeing to pay back 100% of the course fees if I leave within 2 years of completing the courses.


Now my argument here is that not a word was mentioned to me about this when I secured the post almost a year ago. Not a word was mentioned when I attended the course in Feb and nothing was said recently when the upcoming course was booked and paid for. Had I have known about this requirement, I would have seriously considered not agreeing to commence in the role as the courses are thousands of pounds and I would owe around £8k if I were to leave within 2 years.


I have checked my employment contract and can see no mention of any requirement to repay training fees, hence why I think they are asking me to sign something now. What does everyone think? Am I right in thinking that this is unfair? Is there anything they can do to actually force me to sign it or am I within my rights to refuse.


Thanks in advance

getmore4less

It was probably policy but someone forgot and they have realised they need to get the agreement in writing for this particular course if there is no blanket cover in the normal contract.

if you can stall then it will be too late, they could just cancel the current course if you don't sign

then you have to decide what to do.

I think 100% -? 0% in two years should be sliding scale say 50% after 1 year or maybe 25% less every 6 months or even monthly reducing.

Whatever you agree I don't think it should be retrospective.

I would also want an exclusion if you stayed within te NHS sector using the training/experience.

fps01

Thank you.


They could cancel the course but they have already paid the fee and it is non refundable.


I just feel like I've been duped slightly as I'm already being paid below the proper salary for the job to account for training expenses. I also see it as unfair that they should spring this on me now after I've already attended 1 course and the other has already been paid for!

TELLIT01

I would try to delay signing the form until after the upcoming course. I would then only be willing to accept it if it stated, in writing, that this only applied to training costs incurred after the date of signing.
I do not believe it is acceptable for recovery of training costs to be backdated to when you started the job, or any other date prior to you being made aware.

bluesnake

Never heard of this one in the NHS. Budgets are set yearly, and even if you pay it back the cash goes into finance's purse, and not the departments budget. Our lot looked into this tying in type scheme to employ and train staff for Cisco courses from basics up to CCIE and for us it was said to be unworkable because of above, and also at the end the staff will be so employable that the tie-in will be ineffective.

What exactly does the qualification and the job entail? Will the cost of the training more than cover a salary increase, and in the real world will it make you more employable?

Don't most departments have a training budget?

I would also find out if other departments do the same thing, and if not, since you are part of the same hosptial, then why do these rules differ.

polgara

This is becoming more common in the NHS as a lot of time and money is being spent training/supporting staff only for them to leave as seen as they are competent. Just to note that 'I'm already being paid below the proper salary for the job to account for training expenses' is not true - I'm assuming you not able to do the full duties of the role yet and that it why the pay is lower?

Are you planning on leaving within the next 2 years? If so, would you be moving to another NHS organisation?

danteandsam

I presume this is an IAPT service? As someone else suggested, you get a lower salary until you're trained because you can do less, not to take account of you training expenses. Trusts are trying to impose these clawbacks now because so many staff leaved as soon as they are fully trained. After all, if you stay for the 2 years you have nothing to worry about? Whether it's fair to do it retrospectively is another matter though, personally I'd say it's not.

TELLIT01

It's purely the retrospective element I would question. I don't see how that can be fair or reasonable.

fps01

Thanks everyone. I totally understand why the NHS would try to impose this. But personally I feel that this should have been agreed prior to me starting in the role and it should have been given to me to sign along with my initial employment contract. I feel that it is unreasonably to impose this on me now almost a year later and almost being at the end of my training. Seems like they overlooked it and are now trying to quickly get something in place. The fact is I do not intend to leave the NHS entirely but it is likely I'll be required to relocate within the next year due to my partners work.

gettingtheresometime

Alternatively you could sign it on the basis that the clock started ticking 6 months ago and so you only have 18 of the 'handcuffs' left