Training and study at work: your rights
Asking for time off
Employees should follow their organisation’s rules to ask for time off. If there aren’t any they can write to their employer saying it’s a request ‘under Section 63D of the Employment Rights Act 1996’ with the following details:
- the date
- the subject matter of the study or training
- where and when it would take place
- who’ll be providing the training
- the name of the qualification they could get - if any
- why they think this study or training will help them do their job better and help their employer’s business
- if they’ve made a request before and when
An employer does not have to consider the request if all this information is not included.
Employees can only make 1 request a year.
If the employee changes their mind
The employee must tell their employer if they:
- do not start the agreed training or study
- do not finish the training or study
- do a different course or plan to do a different course from the one agreed