Training and repaying costs

w00519772

I have worked for my current employer for about 11 years. I am a very experienced and valued employee (I believe).

Last week our team was asked if anyone would be interested in training and to provide feedback by the beginning of next week. My colleague (she is new) immediately said we would all benefit from a certain training course without discussing it. This was noted. I also believe we would all benefit from this course.

My contract of employment does state that I must repay training fees if I leave within two years. I don't have any intention to leave at the moment, however there are a lot of changes going on at the moment so I don't know how I will feel in six months plus.

How does it work? If there is a training course that would benefit our team and others attend, then is it reasonable for me not to attend? I don't want to be unreasonable, however I also don't want to limit myself.

Masomnia

Hard to advise on hypotheticals. I would say that normally it should be really clear that training you do would be covered by such an agreement. Your employer would struggle to defend trying to recoup the costs of someone coming to the office to give the team training on assertiveness or whatever six months later.

If you did a specific qualification that you employer paid for then you have that term in your contract... It should be obvious to you that the claw back clause applies. If not then you can defend it, but they can always deduct the sum when you leave, which puts you in the more difficult position of having to claim the money back.

Savvy_Sue

If the employer wants to reclaim training costs if you leave within a certain period, then they must give you an agreement to this effect before the course starts, and you sign it and return it to them. A general clause in your terms and conditions isn't enough.

Having said that, if they just deduct it from your final salary, getting it back may prove 'interesting'.

Generally these clauses are used when an employer pays for you to gain a qualification, eg in accountancy. As Masomnia says, a short generic course which all staff attend is unlikely to fall under any such agreement.

And some employers say they will deduct initial training costs, eg in the care sector.

Personally, I wouldn't at this stage want to disadvantage myself by NOT attending training which you think the whole team would benefit from, just because you don't know how you'll feel about your job in six months time. And if there's a lot of change in the air, I wouldn't want to single myself out as someone who wasn't interested in developing myself or participating in things which would benefit the team.

Because if it IS the kind of training which they expect to be reimbursed for, and it's likely to be of benefit to a new employer, you might be able to persuade a new employer to reimburse you for it: I've known that happen. And if it's expensive, you'll know in advance and can make a considered decision: it can't be sprung on you.