Employees Gain Right To Train

For the first time employees will have the right to request time for training after legal changes came into effect.

The new regulation Time to Train enables workers in businesses which employ more than 250 people to miss work in order to receive relevant training from April 2011.

People will be able ask to their employers to take plumbing courses, electrical courses, plastering courses and tiling courses as long as the training is relevant to their current job.

Any training or studying must improve the employee's effectiveness in their job and contribute to improved business performance and productivity, according to the legislation which came into effect this month.

Kevin Brennan, Skills Minister, said: "We need to empower people to speak about training opportunities and the benefits they can bring to a business' success. Many companies and organisations are very good at training their staff, but we need to make sure that all businesses are advising employees on what is on offer."

Mr Brennan, the MP for Cardiff West, went on to say that the new regulation is a great opportunity for workers and people who receive additional training will benefit from increased confidence and greater employability.

Employers will also reap the rewards of a highly skilled workforce as employees who undergo training are more likely to be motivated and productive, according to Mr Brennan.

"This is where a regulation like Time to Train will be able to help people. It will give them the confidence to ask about training and skills, allowing them to take control of their own careers," he added.

There is no time limit for the length of time that the study or training may take, however, employers reserve the right to decline any request if there is a viable business reason.

The Time to Train legislation was included in the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act, which received Royal Assent in November 2009.

The right to ask for Time to Train will apply to employees across England, Wales and Scotland. The new legislation has not been introduced in Northern Ireland.

The regulation's introduction has been phased in a bid to give smaller organisations and businesses more time to prepare for the new right.

Research by the TUC revealed that 42 per cent of workers said that they were very likely or somewhat likely to use the new right to ask for more training from their employer.

by: Martin Hofschroer

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