Training Costs issue - help!

Suelou1970

Hi

I started a new job in April if this year part of the job offer was my new employer would pay for my AAT training. I accepted the job at a lower than market rate salary due to the added benefit of the training... fast forward 6 months I have completed my probationary period with flying colours .... the company eventually paid for my AAT course which I am due to start shortly when today after paying for it they hand me a training agreement where if I leave 1 year after completing the course I have to pay them back in full or 2 years after I pay 50%.... I feel slightly aggrieved that nowhere in my contract of employment nor the job offer was this advised .... also the cost of the training was part of my initial offer... where do I stand?

74jax

I think that's normal. You don't have to take them up on the course.

ssparks2003

Why would they want to train you for you just to leave, they are protecting their investment in you. If you are not prepared to commit then tell them now.

Sarastro

There's no statutory right for employers to recover training costs if you leave after training. They can only do so if there's an agreement in place - which you have agreed to. This is the Training agreement they have given you. It's fairly standard for employers to do this sort of thing although difficult to enforce in practice. What does your contract say? If that says training costs can be recovered, then they don't need a training agreement...so that suggests nothing in your contract specifically about training. You said it was part of your initial offer - was that written down anywhere? and under what terms? If there's nothing in your contract, then you can negotiate the training agreement - and you could argue that the reduced salary was in effect paying for the training so why would you pay for it twice if you were to leave in less than 2 years? It's also unreasonable, I think, for them to want to have no real end date...what happens if you leave in 10 years' time? will they still recover 505?
It comes down to how difficult you want things to be. You could push the terms of your conditional offer (i.e. I've already paid) and negotiate a shorter / reduced agreement on the cost of training, e.g. 50% if you leave within a year and nothing after that.

Suelou1970

Thank you for your replies, I do understand why employers put the claw backs into force to protect their instrests and investment however as I stated this was offered pre employment as part of my remuneration the offer didn't say we will provide this at no cost should you stay for 2 years otherwise you will need to repay. My offer letter simply states they will pay for this as part of my employment and it states nothing in my contract regarding this. I was asked to sign this agreement after the fact and after I was enrolled and I haven't signed as I want to speak to my manager prior to agreeing to anything. It's not I am planning to leave but you never know what is round the corner 😊

sangie595

Sarastro wrote: »

There's no statutory right for employers to recover training costs if you leave after training. They can only do so if there's an agreement in place - which you have agreed to. This is the Training agreement they have given you. It's fairly standard for employers to do this sort of thing although difficult to enforce in practice. No it isn'tWhat does your contract say? If that says training costs can be recovered, then they don't need a training agreement... Yes, they do. It must be separate and signed agreement so that suggests nothing in your contract specifically about training. You said it was part of your initial offer - was that written down anywhere? and under what terms? If there's nothing in your contract, then you can negotiate the training agreement - and you could argue that the reduced salary was in effect paying for the training so why would you pay for it twice if you were to leave in less than 2 years? You certainly could. But there was no "reduced salary". The OP accepted the salary on offer. Their opinion that they might have got a better salary without the training, is irrelevant - they also could have applied for the job with the better salary, if one exists. It's also unreasonable, I think, for them to want to have no real end date...what happens if you leave in 10 years' time? will they still recover 505? there is no suggestion there isn't an end date. The amount owed diminishes over a period of time. The OP says so. Toy are making an assumption not in evidence
It comes down to how difficult you want things to be. You could push the terms of your conditional offer (i.e. I've already paid) No, they haven't and negotiate a shorter / reduced agreement on the cost of training, e.g. 50% if you leave within a year and nothing after that.

And the employer can also tell them to take a hike - from the training AND the job! They have six months employment, and there will be a queue of unqualified people willing to get a job with training standing behind them. And expectation of repayment if you don't stay for a period with the employer is quite normal - and plenty of people will be willing to agree if the OP isn't.