Low take-up of right to make training requests

To continue reading please register or login to your OHW+ account.

Take-up of the right to make requests in relation to study or training has been low and has not facilitated additional investment in learning in organisations that lack commitment to training staff, according to Government-commissioned research. On 6 April 2010, a statutory procedure was introduced whereby employees in organisations with at least 250 employees can make a request in relation to study or training. Under the procedure, employees with 26 weeks' service who make a training request are entitled to a meeting to discuss the request. Employers can refuse the request for a specified business reason. The procedure sets time limits for employers to invite an employee to a meeting to discuss it, plus a further time limit to come to a final decision. Although the right is often referred to as a "right to request time off for training", it is not limited to requests for time off. While many statutory requests will involve time off, employees could also make a request for the employer to organise, provide or pay for on-the-job training.

Government-commissioned research

The research was commissioned by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and undertaken by the Institute for Employment Studies (IES). Following the introduction of the new right, the Gov