Government to publish guidance on employees' right to request training

David Woods, 14 January 2010

The Government has published guidance to inform employers about the new right for employees to request time for training.

The guidance for employers is being made available through Business Link and is to be published 12 weeks before the right comes in on 6 April 2010.

Guidance is also available today on the DirectGov website to inform employees about how they make a request under this new right.

Skills minister Kevin Brennan (pictured), 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. While two-thirds of businesses do train their staff, we need to encourage employers and employees who do not to speak about training opportunities."

The right to request time to train was included in the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act, which received Royal Assent in November 2009.

The introduction of the right will be phased and will be made available to employees in organisations with 250 or more employees from April 2010 before being extended to all employees from April 2011. This will give smaller organisations and businesses more time to prepare for its introduction..

Commenting on the release of the guidance, John Castledine, director of learning solutions at the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM), said: "We welcome this guidance, published today, and hope this new right will open up many more opportunities for employees to access vital leadership and management training and, as a result, improve business efficiency across the UK.

"It is crucial that employers are encouraged to offer suitable training and development for all staff members. We now want to see a campaign in place that not only compels employers to ensure that training and development provision is fit-for-purpose, but also raises awareness among employees of their legal right to training and the many benefits of undertaking workplace development.

"Organisations that promote and provide these development opportunities to their staff stand to gain a more loyal, engaged and productive workforce."

You must login to use Clip & Save

Your Comment

To post comments please log in here

All Comments

John Isherwood - 14 January 2010

I do hope this requirement doesn't get abused by staff demanding unsuitable or non relevant training. I keep harping on about the need to establish proper job definitions for each employee, which enables proper worthwhile assessments/appraisals to be carried out which would identify the development needed, and would therefore guide the choice of training needed. More of my views, if they're not too boring, can be found on www.pariresellers.blogspot.com

Bay Jordan - 14 January 2010

I have to admit to reading this with a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.

Why is it that, in this day and age, more and more has to be prescribed? At the end of the day business is about co-operation. The business will do better if people do better and people will do better if businesses do better. If this partnership is recognised and respected such interference is needless.

If the employee has a right to demand training does the employer have an equivalent right to demand improved performance as a result of the training? Training is an investment and needs to recognised as such and treated accordingly. As it is this is likely to create another bone of contention; push costs up overall; increase the pressure to reduce headcount and reduce the incentive to hire at precisely the time we need to bolster employment and encourage recruitment; and generally leave us all worse off and no-one happy.