Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Latest NewsEmployment lawLearning & developmentTraining managementTraining policies

Government rules out right to request training in SMEs

by Nick Martindale 8 Jul 2011
by Nick Martindale 8 Jul 2011

The Government has ruled out extending the right for employees to make requests in relation to study or training to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) until at least April 2015.

Under legislation passed by the previous Labour government, staff in companies with fewer than 250 employees would have been entitled to the same rights as those in larger organisations from April 2011 but this was put on hold by the coalition Government when it came to power in June 2010.

The subsequent consultation revealed a split among employers, professional bodies, trade unions and individuals over whether or not to extend the right, with 77% of smaller companies opposing the idea.

“Several representative bodies commented that in larger organisations there is a greater likelihood of dedicated functionality and resource to deal with personnel and training issues,” read the report.

“Smaller organisations, without dedicated HR functions, could be more challenged to deal easily and consistently with requests submitted using the right.”

The consultation ruled out making changes to the way in which the right functions and revealed little appetite for merely delaying the extension of the right to smaller businesses until economic conditions improve.

In its response to the consultation, the Federation of Small Businesses said: “Government should focus on promoting training rather than regulating on it. Businesses need to be socially aware of the benefits that training can bring to a business’ competitiveness.

“The additional costs [of compliance] would be overly burdensome for a small business and might lead them to reconsider employing staff at a time when government is looking for the private sector to lead the recovery.”

The Government pledged to continue offering the right to organisations with more than 250 employees but said this would also be kept under review until 2015.

Only 36% of respondents to the consultation were in favour of scrapping the legislation entirely but this rose to 49% among employers and 61% of small businesses.

Research by XpertHR released earlier this week found that just 12% of HR directors believe that the legislation has had a positive effect on training in their organisation, with 57% saying that they thought it “irrelevant”.

Avatar
Nick Martindale

previous post
Healthy lifestyle options could save billions
next post
Board-level appointments rise

You may also like

Pay all care workers a £10.50 hourly minimum...

30 Jun 2022

Royal Mail managers vote to strike over restructure

30 Jun 2022

Give wellbeing a board seat: Prof Sir Cary...

30 Jun 2022

One in five workplaces lack LGBT support policies

30 Jun 2022

Christian doctor loses transgender pronoun case, but beliefs...

29 Jun 2022

New chief workforce officer at NHS England

29 Jun 2022

Staff shortages affecting business growth at three in...

29 Jun 2022

MP seeks action on Passport Office’s ‘toxic’ working...

29 Jun 2022

Six in 10 seek help with cost of...

29 Jun 2022

What has cyber security got to do with...

29 Jun 2022
  • NSPCC revamps its learning strategy with child wellbeing at its heart PROMOTED | The NSPCC’s mission is to prevent abuse and neglect...Read more
  • Diversity versus inclusion: Why the difference matters PROMOTED | It’s possible for an environment to be diverse, but not inclusive...Read more
  • Five steps for organisations across the globe to become more skills-driven PROMOTED | The shift in the world of work has been felt across the globe...Read more
  • The future of workforce development PROMOTED | Northumbria University and partners share insight...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2022

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2022 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+