Government issues guidance on time to train requests
The government this week published guidance for employers on the new right for employees to request time for training.
The new right – contained in the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009 – comes into force on 6 April this year in organisations with 250 or more employees. It will be extended to all employees from April 2011.
The requests from employees, who must have worked for the organisation for a minimum of six months continuously, can be to undertake accredited programmes leading to a qualification, or for unaccredited training to help them develop specific skills relevant to their job, workplace or business. There is no limit on the time employees can request, nor do employers have to pay for the time spent training.
Employers are required to consider any requests and respond within a set timeframe. “You can turn down requests when you have a good business reason to do so, including where you do not believe the training will help improve business performance,” the guidance says, pointing to the similarity of the right to request time for training to the right to request flexible working arrangements.
The guidance also includes:
- Types of training employees can request
- Information employees must provide in a time to train request
- Timescales for considering requests
- Considering whether to accept a time to train request, including the limited set of business reasons that will allow refusal
- Communicating decisions
- Internal appeals
- Employment protection and time to train requests.
Skills minister Kevin Brennan said: “Now, more than ever, we need learning and training opportunities in place that empower people to gain the skills and training they need to get on. Many businesses and organisations are really good at training their staff and already recognise the benefits of having a highly skilled and motivated workforce.”
The guidance is available through Business Link.
