The government has just unveiled the details of its plan to recognize workers' right to apply for time to attend a professional training course, announced Gordon Brown last week (see our articleNo. 080403). The union confederation TUC sees an opportunity to increase the role of union representatives in charge of training (Ref. 080422)
The right to occupational training will be included in the bill on training and skills, which will be presented to Parliament in the fall 2008. The main provisions are as follows:
- employees have the right to ask their employer for free time to attend a training course, if the latter is profitable to both parties,
- employers must take account of such applications but may refuse on valid grounds only,
- the procedures are based on the right to flexible work time, well known to employers,
- applications may concern short training and non-accredited courses,
- this right does not concern employees who have been in employment for less than 26 weeks,
- employers who accept the applications may pay the employees their salary during the training course, but are not compelled to do so,
- employers may organize and pay for the training course, but they are not compelled to do so.
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