Government confirms right to request time off for training

The Government has confirmed that employees in organisations with 250 or more employees will have a right to request time off to undertake study or training from 6 April 2010. 

Employees will be able to submit a request where the study or training is relevant to the employer's business. 

The Regulations set out the procedural requirements of the right to request time off for study or training, including the particulars that must be stated in the employee's request and the process employers must follow when considering requests. 

The Regulations make provision for complaints employees may make to an employment tribunal where an employer has breached the procedural requirements and for the maximum amount of compensation that may be awarded if a complaint is well-founded. 

• The Employee Study and Training (Procedural Requirements) Regulations 2010 (SI 2010/155) are available on the OPSI website
• The Employee Study and Training (Eligibility, Complaints and Remedies) Regulations 2010 (SI 2010/156) are available on the OPSI website

Also

Government publishes guidance on time off to train The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has issued guidance on the right for employees to request time off for training. 

Training: the employer's obligations from the XpertHR employment law manual. 

The XpertHR quick reference section sets out employees' rights to statutory time off.