hello everyone. I started a new job a few months ago (service technician). my contract states that I must repay all costs of training including any wages paid and expenses. the first three months were a trial/ probationary period. on my fist week they asked me if I would like to go on a manufacturer specific 3 day course. I said (I have the email) that this course would not be of any benefit to the company and I didn't want to do it. they said they wanted me to do it so I did. anyway within the three month period I decided to leave as I didn't like the job. my notice period was 1 month but the boss asked me to work longer and and also train up another engineer before I leave. I worked 6 weeks notice. now that I have gotten my pay check they have deducted 850pounds for training costs. (cost of course plus wages plus hostel plus expences) can anyone please inform me if they are correct in taking this money. despite the fact that it was a course I didn't want to do isn't it true that on probationary period that no obligations apply? any help I would really appreciate. thank you.

I, along with my wife and at least a dozen other trainees, have recently learnt that our online / distance NVQ /QCF assessor trainer has closed leaving us all at different stages of our courses. This training centre was clearly going belly up for months as the standard of feedback and communication was appalling. We are self-funded, some over a thousand out of pocket and unfortunately apparently unknown to the Awarding Organisation (AO) as we had never been registered with them. So the AO's Duty of Care will not extend to re-allocating us to new trainers. Some trainees have completed but were awaiting their certifcates, others like me were less advanced and awaiting feedback on worksheets. Does anyone have a definitive answer from their experience that those of us who paid by Credit Card will get our money back as it is a Case of Breach of Contract ? We are querying with our banks but it is still at the 'investigation' stage ...the banks awaiting feedback from the dodgy s**t. One trainee tells us that their bank verbally replied that, having been given eportfolio access and setting up an account, that the trainer has therefore fulfilled their contract - so the bank is not liable under section 75. But we all assume that we were paying for a full course of training, that included feedback - not just a password !!! The point being, if we know our dosh will be returned at some future date, we can sign up with new trainers, pay them and finish our studies ...

You know when you are on your annual leave, booked a few months in advance and you have made arrangements to go somewhere, you know, book a coach trip for a day out and all that. Then a week before you are due your annual leave work puts a notice up stating there is compulsary training to be attended for one day while on AL, do you have to attend. I was on AL last week, and a week before I went off a notice for CT was put up. Well me and the mother had made arrangements to visit family in Wales all the week, so I wrote a note for the manager stating I would not be able to attend, as prior arrangements had been made. When I got back to work, she was not very happy, now I have noticed on a notice for new training for a few weeks time, it states "all must attend, even when on annual leave". This has never been stated on notices before. I thought my annual leave was my own to do with as I want, I will gladly go on training any other time of the year. But we always go somewhere when I am on AL, we NEVER stay in town, we either visit family or book trips/ short breaks to go on, and do not see why I must forsake these trips just 2 attend a 2 hour training course in my AL week. Are they allowed to do this, even when things are arranged months/weeks before any notices go up. So, say I book my AL and book an actual holiday, months in advance, all paid up for etc. Then months down the line, work decides to put a notice up for CT for the week I am on AL and on this supposed holiday. Would I have to cancel my holiday, who will pay for the loss of deposit/ full payments etc and all that?

Parents got an 8 week old female Jack Russell yesterday. She does go outside in the garden; but doesn't seem to want to wee out there? Has anyone got any advice please. She'll poo outside with no problem. She just wees inside the house. She also chews on everything, which I assume is normal? She has the naughty habit of licking my hands and then deciding to nibble them. Very sneaky. She currently doesn't have a name. Any name suggestions would be appreciated. She's black and white. Will post a photo when I get a chance.

Hey there Thank you for reading this. I have been in my actual job for exactly 2 years now. I have received a training in October 2013 and another one a week ago. Now I have found another job - better pay, more free time, satisfaction of doing something that I enjoy ect, so obviously I am going to move on. I am writing this in the eventuality that, they would expect me to pay something back, regarding my training, when I will hand in my resignation in the next couple of days. In my actual job's contract there is a clause regarding training: "The Company will provide comprehensive on the job training as required. In addition, the Company may, at its absolute discretion, wish to provide support by means of sponsorship for employees who wish to undertake job related training. All training agreements will be in writing and will be liable to repayment should you leave voluntarily within two years. Please see your Line Manager for more information." First, I am a bit confused:???: about the "2 years" does it relate to the years of work from start or years after each training? Second, I haven't signed anything at training, first one being a one day training, second one 4 hours. Would they have any leg to stand on? I appreciate all your answers and many thanks

Back in June i took a training course to the amount of £500. (this later got reduced after i paid) to other people to £250 not me. I paid full. Did the course(after the tutor re arranged it a number of times) Also cut my exam time down as she was late in turning up. I pass and have been awaiting my certificate since then. they told me it had been delivered but then got returned to sender as we were on holiday. then they asked me to pay an extra £30 to get it sent again. (after i paid the £500 already. After around 10 emails back and forth ive still not recieved my certificate and its now february. My question is im i entitled to get a full refund of the £500 i paid? And do my training agin with a more reputable company? As all im getting back is excuse after excuse and this is costing me business as ive not got a certificate to show people. I would apreciate any advice given. Many thanks

After passing a Fork lift course in November last year I am now being "offered" the "opportunity to attend an open day run by Staffline DHl at a local college who are offering a training course specific to the local Land rover/Jaguar plant with a guaranteed interview with JLR at the end. The bait being the "Good wages" and secure job etc. However, a little research shows that 80% off the staff at JLR (Halewood) are Temps provided by Staffline DHL and are not paid anything like the rate JLR staff are. This company exploits a loophole in the regulations regarding temp workers and equal pay after 12 weeks, known as the "Swedish derogatory", this basically means the temps are contracted to the agency as employees and then subcontracted at a rate set by their "employers" What is troubling me is the fact that only 300 of the 800 current "temps" at JLR "Halewood" are on 5 shifts a week contracts and 200 are only guaranteed 1 shift's payment if laid off (zero hours) but according to my advisor they are looking for a further 500 ? Given the recent industrial unrest both at JLR Halewood and JLR's two plants in the midlands, with strike action being threatened unless wage parity is introduced, this makes me a bit suspicious particularly when JLR and DHL have stated they have a contingency plan in case off industrial action ! Any thoughts on this? am I just being a bit paranoid?

Hi don't know if i am posting in the right place but. I have tired to get help from several places but i am treated like a fool for trying to follow this up after such a long time (6 years) I received some money for education from project Scotland and decided to go for a course that pitman training were offering. They enrolled me in the first course and said i could start the second course when i wanted. i went back 3 years later and they then said i only had a year to complete both the courses which is impossible for anyone to do. Should i bother following this up or is the £1500 gone. i think since i was only enrolled in one course they have pritty much stolen the money off me. thanks for your time and any advice would be greatly appreciated. thanks Ben

Hi folks, I'm new here. I was recommended to seek advice on here from a friend with a problem I am having at my work at the moment. I have done a search on here and round the government website about overtime but quite a lot of it is contradicting or confusing. My situation is that I am a full time Uni student in my final year (busy busy). I work in a retail shop on a 15 hour per week contract. Now with being in my final year I am extremely busy with my coursework. My shop has recently hired a new manager (happens to be his first store manager role) and I am currently having to work 20+ hour weeks. Over the summer this was no problem at all but now it is in the middle of semester time I am finding it hard. As well as all these extra hours I have been told that I need to complete some online learning in my own time to fulfil my job role. If I don't do these, I have been told that "it will end up being a question of my job role". To me that seems a bit threatening but I am unsure. For some reason, all the training that has to be done is things that I have been allowed to fulfil for the past year I have worked there so struggling to understand the need for training if I already know it? To try and compensate with the extra time needed for the training I requested less overtime hours to allow me to do the training. I was told that it couldn't be done as I was needed in the store for as many hours as possible. I did read somewhere that I can request time off for training. When I was told that I couldn't get any time off I said about needing to cut my hours down to my contracted 15. This made my manager pretty angry and he said that if I refused to work any overtime then he could show me the door. This was downright rude and unfair I reckon. He said it was written in my contract (which is is). The wording in my contract is as follows, The main question I have is that am I allowed to refuse overtime given what my contract says and my situation? Also if anyone knows for sure about training outside working hours (without pay) then I would be pleased to hear more about it. I have tried to give as much information as possible and I realise I have probably rambled on a bit but if any more information is needed then I will endeavour to give it! Thanks

Hi everyone, Any advice would be highly appreciated!! The situation is as follows less than 3 months ago I have started as a subcontractor for a company initially I was given training for which I have signed a training contract stating that if I leave earlier then 6 months I will have to repay for the training! Because the work is on price, I was promised 6 jobs on average a day, not in the contract, but I have a letter saying that "Their engineers complete 6 jobs on average a day", that is the only reason I have started the job for, them 6 jobs. But after month and a half and less than 4 jobs on average a day and not making enough to support my family I have decided to quit. I have told them this is the only reason I am quitting . My question is: Is there a legal way for me not to pay for the training? Thanks for your help in advance!

I sent in my ESA form last month before due date and am awaiting the result any day now. In the meantime, I thought that I should make plans in case they push me off. I can't face the prospect of all the hoops they want people to jump through. The thought of going through it all again makes me physically ill. My thoughts were therefore to prepare myself for the worst and in that case find some kind of work, the kind I can do if and when I periodically feel well. One such idea is tutoring, of which I can do a few hours here and there. If I am careful with my health and take on only a couple of hours per week, then when I am ill on tutoring days, I can re-arrange the hours ie it would be very flexible. It's only an idea, to use skill, education and training I acquired 20 years ago. However, I would need some kind of re-training or updating of skills eg computer skills, some kind of basic teacher's certificate, or get a new TESOL certificate to replace the one that never got sent to me 14 years ago, rather than continue the struggle to get it from the college. Would the DWP pay for such re-training? ie a short part-time college course? It would be cheaper for them than keeping me on ESA, if I am able to tutor 4-5 hours per week and earn £80. At the moment I am not well enough to actually do this, but there are days when I feel I can manage it, with support. However, I cannot even begin to think of paying for this myself. Does anyone know of any such provision by the dwp?

I was on ESA for around 2 years, and had to attend a programme at a local training/employment provider. I attended once, filled in their assessment, and spoke to one of the members of staff - who, after being quite rude, softened up when I showed her my CV and spoke about how much I actually wanted to go back to work... but that my doctor was strongly advising me against it. She told me not come back. This suited me as I've never been so disgusted as when I went in to their offices, saw them joke about clients and their poor circumstances, and threaten them when they asked for help. I've now been working for 6 months (woo..) and they've decided to ring me, multiple times. When I asked them why I was informed that.. "You've been on our systems for 99 weeks, and the duration of our programme lasts for 104 weeks. I've been tasked with chasing you up. Thats great that you've found work, can you now give us your employment details?" I mulled it over and refused, sent them quite a strong email and requested that they cease asking me. Well, they didn't - they ignored my email and continued.. So I sent them a stronger email - threatening to report their conduct to the DWP/JCP and the ICO w/ regards to harassing me over personal data. Surprise surprise, this threat got them to respond: Even if you added a 1, or a 2, in front of that number - I'd still refuse to give them my personal data as I don't trust them. However, I've bolded one bit in particular: am I right in saying that she wants my details to claim that they've been in contact with me every 2 weeks? (When in fact, they've contacted me once in 99 weeks?) Furthermore, are they simply going to pay me for this information - so they can pass it on the DWP? The information they want is my employer, job title, employers contact details, manager and so on. They aren't getting it. It's left a bad taste in my mouth as they were a truly vile and toxic company, and one that I would love to see fall in to some hot water. I never complained because of my health, and as the incident(s) were so long ago I can't see the point in complaining now. However this latest email got to thinking that they are scared of getting complaints, to the point they'd rather pay you to STFU. Has anyone got any advice for dealing with them now? Accept the money? Complain? Forward the email(s) to DWP? Take the money as a "goodwill gesture", wait 5 weeks for them to hand my file over to the DWP, then send the documents to the DWP so they can spot any fraudulent entries in my records that have been inserted? (i.e meetings that never occurred, that I've got correspondence proving they never happened?) I feel sorry for the people attending their right now, I really do, hence why the money doesn't matter so much as ensuring these cowboys sort their act out.

Hello! I have a problem with my last employer, owner of the care home I worked for. Due to certain mistake I've made I was put on garden leave, awaiting my disciplinary meeting. On the day I had my disciplinary I provided the statement, prior to the meeting and gave my notice. Chair of the meeting said they accept my notice, yet will go with the meeting as planned. Although I provided mitigating circumstances I was found guilty and chair of the disciplinary hearing said 'had you not resigned we would sack you for gross misconduct'. Few weeks after I received my final pay slip I opened it and BOOM - from my final wages a cost of £390 was deducted. It stated is for the training. I was working for that care home for over two months and was never given my contract of employment. The training they provided was mandatory prior starting work in care setting and it was in-house training. I don't agree with that charge and contacted CAB but after 1h20minutes on the phone they sent me to read some law documents from which I didn't understand a lot I need the information - was the deduction of training costs in that case unfair? Please, please help And in case it was unlawful for my ex employer to do so what legislation describes it? Many thanks in advance!!

Hi I signed up to a course through training room over the phone in which i paid a £200 registration fee as they called it. Normal term would be deposit. At no point within the call was i told it was non refundable or non refundable if the course was cancelled after 7 days. After receiving my loan agreement for the payment of the course i decided not to go ahead with the course or finance plan therefore did not sign any form of agreement leaving me not liable what so ever. I requested a refund of my deposit to which i received an email stating that as it was after 7 days since i paid the fee they would not be issuing me a refund. Apparently as stated in their T&C's. After looking over their T&C's no where does it state anything about a 7 day period and regardless of that i did not sign the agreement or start the course therefore am not bound by anything to do with it. Would be grateful if anyone could advise me of what steps to take. Thanks

Hi Advice please re-my son. He has been on JSA since Oct.2012 and is doing voluntary work set up by the local Council. They have funded him on 2 courses related to the work he's doing.(Gardening and site clearing,brush cutting tool usage) He has seen on the local College site that the next couse that would be appropriate to go on (Chain Saw use etc) the College state that people on JSA will have their fees waived. On enquiring today at his JC, they have advised him that they only "fund training" if there is a job at the end of it. Is this correct ? as I cannot see how without any training very few will be able to get jobs, or is this statement the usual JC brush off ? Advice appreciated Peter

There are a lot of them out there, they want a corner of the world they can claim as their own. They want more control,the three feet of clothing on the floor and the pile of dirty socks, CD cases, and assorted papers is their declaration of independence. its their way to demonstrate they can do as they please, so I'm told. Well I'm not buying that feeble excuse. To be trashing your room and leaving it looking like a Tornado has hit the area is not on. Forget the whinning, dawdling, getting distracted with Facebook, get it sorted out. I see it as having a lazy streak which needs to be nipped in the bud before it gets worse. If it carries on I will be rubbing his face in his dirty socks. What do others think?

Came across this very informative program A Dr is filmed undercover during his ATOS training http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xwg0up_atos-secret-filming_news#.UVFqUldcbwG BASED ON HIS EVIDENCE YOU HAVE TO BE COMPLETELY paralyzed IN-ORDER TO PASS

I have to attend a training course for my part time job. I am happy to do this. However, the available course is on a Saturday, for 6 1/2 hours, and I have been told that I will not get paid for this. Is this allowed? As it's grating a bit that I have to give up a Saturday to do a training course for a job that I do for 3.5 hours a week, term time only, and not even get paid! I haven't had a contract yet, have been in post for 8 weeks, so can't check that. I have Googled but can't find anything relevant. Can anyone point me in the right direction if there is any information I should know? Thanks in advance.

Hi Came across this earlier today and thought it was an interesting read and may be useful to others its in PDF Format:

Hi everyone, I appreciate any help you can give - I have two questions: 1. My son was employed as an apprentice Gas and Heating Engineer and was sent on day release to college - all good. After some months, he was no longer on day release for various reasons, including that he no longer wanted to attend as he discovered a different course he could do that would be more beneficial. Shortly after, he was then TUPE'd over to another company and in September of this year, he attended a course to become a qualified Gas & Heating Engineer. During his course, his company was taken over by a larger company and once again, he has been TUPE'd over. He passed his exams in December and has been informed by his company that until he gets his certificates through, he cannot be classed as fully qualified - they do know he has passed. He attended college on Wednesday to do a days course and discovered that the reason he has not yet received his certificates is because his company are refusing to pay the course fees - no-one told him this. He has spoken to his line manager and nothing is being done about it - he is getting nowhere with his line manager. My question here is - can they refuse to pay the fees, even though they sent him on the course? 2. Also, he is still earning the same salary as he was an an apprentice - £4.98 per hour. He has no new contract, despite being TUPE'd over to two different companies and is being paid minimum wage. He is fully qualified and the average salary for his skill set is around £35k. He has spoken to his line manager and the manager above him about a pay rise as he has a company van; his own workload and works solely alone now. His line manager today told him that his payrise has been put on hold by the new company and cannot advise him of how long he will have to wait. He has tried to speak to HR, but to no avail. We have tonight, drafted a letter to the HR department, hoping that someone might contact him. We have asked for a copy of the grievance policy as, despite asking his line manager many times, he has never received a copy. My question here is - all his fellow workers are earning three times the amount he is and he does exactly the same work. Can we do anything about this? Anything you can help me with is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Can i get an financial assistance with retraining? specifically training at a construction skills center? i have heard of the ILA -Individual Learning Account- £200 towards courses for low income/unemployed but it is apparently only avaliable in scotland. The £200 would not cover the cost of the course but wlil cover my accommodation and food. Can anyone point me in the right direction or will i get laughed at if i ask about any financial support? i will not have a guaranteed job at the end of the course but i will be able to apply for work all over the country.

I have just completed level 1 training to be a union rep at my workplace. I had a day a week off for 10 weeks to attend. I've now been asked to attend the level 2 course starting at the end of April for another ten weeks. My employer has told me i cannot be spared as we are short of staff. I could go to a course in a years time though. The ACAS document "time off for trade union duties and activities" says the employer has to let you have reasonable time off for union training. Any ideas as to what exactly is reasonable judged as?

just been to the work programe ,and my advisor,says i am not doing very well finding work, so she sugested training for something different from warehouse work and packing, which is all ive done most of my life. she said what about construction work,i said i think i am to old and out of shape for that kind of work, so she said think about what you can train for to get a job,so ive been thinking but i cant think of anything,any ideas.?

When I was 19 I was sold a plumbing course. The salesman arrived at my house and begun his campaign. I managed not to sign on the night but he kept phoning and I finally buckled. He came round my house, I signed a loan agreement with Barclays in April 09. It was for £5,995 interest free over 60 months. A few days later I had second thoughts and thought this was a [problem], so called the sales person to say I wanted to cancel and he said I couldn't. I attended the first training session in Birmimgham which was convient as I could stay for free with family. I then received a letter saying the centre had shut down and they would be in contact. 2 months later I phoned to find out what was happening and they hadnt got a new place. They then wrote to me saying the new place was in central London, nearer but less convenient. I phoned to say I wanted to terminate the course as it would cost me more for London, they said I couldn't cancel. I informed them I wouldn't pay and they said that would be a breach of the contract. I stopped paying. I am now being per-suede by Apex, but they havent been too heavy lately. Reading the forums I was going to write for my contract but when they phoned I asked for it and they have sent me the loan agreement. It is just the loan agreement. It says on the agreement after I sign it I will have a short time to cancel the agreement, they will tell me how, but I told the salesman a few days later. I wasn't very good with contracts and reading things at that time. Can I get this debt cancelled as the salesman refused my right to cancel, and furthermore they moved the location of the course. Many thanks and any advice is gratefully received.

Hi there, I am serving my 5 day notice from my current job. I have being an apprentice for 4 years, and the job at the end of it wasn't what I expected. I was sent on a HNC course by my company and made to sign a contract. It was a two year course, and I signed two contracts. I quote: "If you leave out employment for any reason within one year of receiving this financial support, the company reserves the right to deduct the full value of the course fees paid from your final salary." "If you leave out employment for any reason within two years of receiving this financial support, the company reserves the right to deduct 50% of the full value of the course fees paid from your final salary." They have said I am liable for over £1800, my final salary (week in hand, plus few holidays) is worth a few hundred. But they are claiming I need the pay it all. Is this true??? Also I have read on the Direct Gov website: "A deduction must not reduce your pay below the National Minimum Wage rate (except a limited amount for accommodation). This applies even if you have given your permission for it." Does this also apply to me, or have I forfeited that right? I don't mind them taking my final salary and I was lead to believe this is all they can take. Thanks for reading and all your help,