You are in > manchester.com  > News > 'Right to train' plan revealed

Finance

'Right to train' plan revealed

18/06/2008

Details of the government's plan to give up to 22 million workers in England the legal right to request time to train were outlined today.

Under the scheme, all employees who have worked for their employer for 26 weeks will get the entitlement, with the requests treated in a similar way to those for flexible working.

Flexible working, introduced in 2003, gives a legal right to workers who care for a child under the age of 18 to ask for different working patterns that would better suit their circumstances.

Under the legislation, firms do not have to agree – but they must seriously consider the application and have a good business reason to refuse.

John Denham, secretary of state for innovation, universities and skills, said legislation could be in place by 2010.

Mr Denham said: "Investment by government and employers in education and training has played a large part in building economic success in recent years.

"But we have still not persuaded every employer of the importance of skills. A third of employers still don't train their staff. In other organisations training does not involve everyone.

"We need to find new ways to bring the drive for skills into every workplace and to every worker which is why we are consulting on a new right for workers to request time to train."

Spending by employers on training is rising and estimated at some £38.6 billion a year, the government said.