Certificate

Lookingfora · 22 August 2019 at 1:06PM

Hi

I completed a paediatric course with my employer (that they paid for) but never received my certificate. There was a fall out and I left my job and have got another one still working with children so I need the certificate to prove I completed the course. I have contacted the training provider and asked them to send a certificate out to my home address but they have said my old employer is retaining my certificate.

What should I do?

k3lvc · 22 August 2019 at 1:08PM

Ask your old employer for it. If you left soon after you completed it or if the fall out was serious then expect to repay the training fees to be able to get it

Brynsam · 22 August 2019 at 1:36PM

The certificate belongs to you (see https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/work/leaving-a-job/resigning/solving-property-disputes-when-you-leave-a-job/ and scroll to the bottom of the page).

Ask nicely(!) and see if that solves the problem. If it doesn't, contact the training provider and ask if they will issue a duplicate or, failing that, a letter to confirm you successfully completed the course.

Lookingfora · 22 August 2019 at 1:55PM

Ask nicely(!) and see if that solves the problem. If it doesn't, contact the training provider and ask if they will issue a duplicate or, failing that, a letter to confirm you successfully completed the course.[/QUOTE]

Unfortunately asking nicely doesn’t work as my old employer was a bully. Thank you for your help and I will do the latter of what you said.

ohreally · 22 August 2019 at 2:28PM

This is a situation I've come across in the past. As advised the cert is yours, not the organisation who perhaps paid the course fees.

Bring this to their attention or remind them of this. There is nothing in this for them so keeping it is simply spite.

I'm quite sure there will be a karmic reaction.

k3lvc · 22 August 2019 at 2:47PM

ohreally wrote: »

This is a situation I've come across in the past. As advised the cert is yours, not the organisation who perhaps paid the course fees.

So what happens when OP raises their ownership of said certificate and (ex) employer asks for the course fees back (obviously depending on contract that was signed, length of service etc etc)

Undervalued · 22 August 2019 at 2:54PM

k3lvc wrote: »

So what happens when OP raises their ownership of said certificate and (ex) employer asks for the course fees back (obviously depending on contract that was signed, length of service etc etc)

For training fee to be recoverable there needs to have been a specific prior agreement in place. Although that can be part of the contract of employment, providing it was signed, good practice normally suggests a separate agreement. Even then the amount would have to be reasonable and proportionate.

If such an agreement exists then the employer could attempt to enforce it regardless of whether the OP raises the subject or not.

spadoosh · 22 August 2019 at 2:54PM

Id imagine if you make them give you the certificate, theyll make you repay the training fees (assuming you havent of course and you are liable for them) by taking you to court. Be wary of that possibility.

Lookingfora · 22 August 2019 at 3:49PM

There was no contact offered or signed. I have had contracts before that say you have to stay in the job so long or pay the course fee if you leave but you are still entitled to the certificate.

Undervalued · 22 August 2019 at 3:56PM

Lookingfora wrote: »

There was no contact offered or signed. I have had contracts before that say you have to stay in the job so long or pay the course fee if you leave but you are still entitled to the certificate.

In that case they cannot enforce repayment of the fees.

That doesn't mean they might not try it on of course.......

General_Grant · 22 August 2019 at 5:09PM

Expect the certificate to have been destroyed on the grounds of GDPR.

At least expect that story.

Certificate

Comments

Categories

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free