Government consults on future of study or training requests

The Government is consulting on whether it should repeal the statutory right to make a request in relation to study or training, keep it in its current form, extend it as planned in April 2011, or amend it to reduce the burden on employers. 

Since 6 April 2010, employees with at least 26 weeks' continuous service and who are employed in organisations with 250 or more employees have had the right to make a request in relation to study or training, where this will help the employee and the business be more effective. Employers are required to follow a prescribed procedure and consider seriously requests that they receive. However, they can refuse a request for one of the business reasons specified in the legislation. The right is due to extend to employees in organisations with fewer than 250 employees, from April 2011. 

The consultation takes place amid the Government's review of all regulations that the previous Government intended to implement. The consultation document states that some groups have criticised: the costs of the statutory right, because of the time that it takes to complete the statutory procedure and the time taken up by training; the scope of the statutory right; and the impact of the statutory right on employers, in that it does not take into account employers that already operate training schemes. 

The closing date for submissions is 15 September 2010. The Government intends to publish its response in December 2010. 

Also

The XpertHR policies and documents section on statutory requests in relation to study or training includes a policy on the right to make a request in relation to study or training and a form for an employee to submit a request in relation to study or training. 

The XpertHR quick reference section pulls together key employment law facts, including the eligibility requirements to make a request for statutory time off and the compensation payable if an employer fails to abide by the legislation. 

The XpertHR topic of the week series on study or training requests includes an overview of the procedure, a case study and FAQs.