Right to train

The right to request time off to train comes into force this April for enterprises employing more than 250 people and April 2011 for all organisations. This is to give small businesses the time to prepare. It is not entirely clear whether schools where the local authority is the employer are contained in the first group. Schools and colleges where the local authority is not the employer are included if they employ over 250 staff, which includes all full-time and part-time staff, but not agency workers, not just teachers and lecturers.

The right is a right to ask for time off to study something that will make the employee more useful to the business. It is not for self-development per se. The grounds for refusing are based on those for refusing flexible working. There is no right to time off with pay or for payment of tuition fees. Guidance is available on the Businesslink website www.businesslink.gov.uk/timetotrain