Government guidelines allow employees ‘Time to train’ Friday, January 15, 2010 - 11:36

NIACE welcomes a new right for employees to request time off work for training, which will generate real benefits for employees, employers and the economy. Time to train was announced by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, on Wednesday 13 January 2010.

Peter Lavender, NIACE Deputy Chief-Executive, said:

"One of the biggest problems the UK faces is that we don't use many of the skills which people have in the workplace. This new guidance will encourage employees to ask for more learning, confident in knowing that they have a right to be doing so. It's pleasing to see this achieved, starting with larger firms from April this year and smaller ones in 2011. NIACE hopes that this crucial entitlement to ask for learning is enlarged and sustained."

Tom Wilson, Director of unionlearn and NIACE Board Member, said:

"This new right could transform learning at work. Employers can, of course, say no but will need to show good reason. The similar right to request flexible working resulted in millions of employees making requests with over 90 per cent being agreed by employers. Knowing that they have the right to ask will encourage millions of employees, putting pressure on employers who don't train to think again and helping all employees get a fair chance to improve their skills."

The guidelines from BIS on the new right to request Time to train, state that:

• from 6 April 2010, 11 million employees in Great Britain will have a new right to ask for time away from work to carry out training to improve their performance and the business;
• training can be carried out on work premises or elsewhere, including at home;
• training it can be provided / supervised by the employer or by someone else - like a college or other training provider - with or without supervision and within or outside the UK; and
• employers will be able to turn down requests where there is a sound business reason to do so.

Under the Time to train right, employees will be able to request:

• training leading to a qualification;
• training to develop skills relevant to a specific job, workplace or business; and
• courses such as English for Speakers of Other Languages.

The right will extend to employees working in businesses employing 250 or more people. Only employees who have worked for 26 weeks will be eligible to make a request under the new right. The right will be extended to cover employees in businesses of all sizes in April 2011