Need help with Discretionary support & sabatical?

Almb1505 · 11 January 2019 at 12:16PM

So I've been with my job for over a year now & they agreed to fund my degree course a few months ago (Work in one of the big 4 accounting companies). I finish the course in Aug this year & then graduate in November, at the minute I really seem to be struggling to keep motivated at work & are in need of a change. There's possible talks of me doing a 1 year secondment for another role in our office, which will be really good for me.

However, I've been thinking after I graduate I would like to take a year or two out on sabbatical to work abroad (Teaching English) & travelling, before settling down in a graduate role where I will have another 3-4 years of studying my ACCA. I'm just wondering if anyone can help guide me on if this is achievable with the discretionary support?

I've read the terms and conditions of them paying for my course & informs that if I leave the company before 1 year, after my last exam I might have to pay back the course fees.

Looking at the Sabbatical I can only qualify if I've worked there for 2 years (which I would have by the time I finish my degree & secondment), it will be dependant on sick days, but also says I might not be able to obtain work while on sabbatical if it overlapped with the company, such as working for a competitor etc.

Ideally I would like the plan to go as follows:
Jan 19 - Start secondment (new role)
Aug 19 - Last Assignment/test for degree
Nov 19 - Graduate
Dec 19 - Been with company 2 years
Jan 20 - Secondment finishes
Feb 20 - Take a two year sabbatical
Feb 21 - 1 year of teaching English abroad
Feb 22 - 1 year of travelling
March 22 - Back at work
Aug 22 - Graduate programme outside of UK, possibly Hong Kong.

Could anyone tell me from a legal side of things if I will be able to do this? Or if I will have to pay back the course fees? Could I go on Sabbatical straight after I finish my degree, or will I not be able due to being with the company 1 year after my last test?

lincroft1710 · 11 January 2019 at 4:56PM

So work 2 yrs, take 2 yrs sabbatical. Not in my company you won't! If you are struggling to be motivated at work, is this really the career for you?

You appear to have an extremely generous employer. The only person who can answer your questions is your employer as there appear to be no laws governing sabbatical leave.

Comms69 · 11 January 2019 at 5:01PM

It's up to your employer; but I wouldn't allow it - especially after a training investment.

k3lvc · 11 January 2019 at 5:17PM

Nice idea to have a plan but I'd pay to be in the room when you share this plan with your Manager :rotfl:

And people wonder why there's cynicism about the worth of the Big 4 and the quality of (some of) their people

ETA are you serious about considering whether they take sick days into consideration re your 2yrs service ???

Almb1505 · 11 January 2019 at 5:20PM

The department isn't the right fit for me and is like a stepping stone into the department I want. The training they invested is what is going to help me get into the position I want at the company and they are aware of where I want to go.

k3lvc · 11 January 2019 at 5:22PM

Almb1505 wrote: »

The department isn't the right fit for me and is like a stepping stone into the department I want. The training they invested is what is going to help me get into the position I want at the company and they are aware of where I want to go.

But you're one of thousands in a very big pond - apparently without a degree or even ACCA ? What exactly are you offering them at the moment to justify your demands ?

Jane_B · 14 January 2019 at 3:23PM

It depends what kind of sabbatical your work offers. My last company offered sabbaticals up to 5 yrs after 2 years service, so your plan would have been fine there. You can only ask.

To get the right talent most places, big companies anyway will bend over backwards to accommodate, so ignore the naysayers on here, only you know the terms of your contract and what is normal at your workplace.

silvercar · 14 January 2019 at 6:53PM

You may be lucky, it probably doesn't matter much to the company which year you start the ACCA as long as it fits in with their cyclical programme. You would probably have to agree to extend the commitment to stay with the company by the length of your sabbatical.

TELLIT01 · 14 January 2019 at 7:10PM

The OP seems to be missing one major potential obstacle to their cunning plan. If they are being seconded, there will probably be training involved. If they leave within a year of any of that training they will have to repay the cost. If they decline the training, questions are bound to be asked and it's likely the secondment would be terminated.

unforeseen · 14 January 2019 at 7:17PM

All I see a 2 year sabbatical just after finishing a degree and 1 year of secondment would achieve is to put you 2 years behind with very little and out of date experience.

TELLIT01 · 14 January 2019 at 10:54PM

It's also easy to imagine how positive any reference would be for somebody who had clearly planned to leave the minute they no longer had to repay their training costs.

Need help with Discretionary support & sabatical?

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