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Legal right to request time to train
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Employees in England have been given the right to request time to train, a move which was welcomed by the Trades Union Congress (TUC).
Prime minister Gordon Brown announced the new right last week, which is modelled on the right to request flexible working.
Under the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills programme, young people and adults are promised greater opportunities.
As well as the right to request time to train, apprenticeship schemes will be expanded and strengthened.
The moves aim to increase the number of people gaining new skills, becoming more productive and developing better careers.
Secretary of state for innovation, universities and skills John Denham said: "If the job prospects of our workforce are to improve and the country is to succeed internationally, we have to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to rise as far as their abilities can take them.
"Learning starts before school and it should not stop when you leave."
Employers will be legally obliged to consider requests but can refuse if there is a good business reason to do so.
Jo Davis, partner in the employment team, comments: "It will be interesting to see how this will work in practice. If an employee asks for time to train so that they can move into another job outside the employer's organisation, how far will the employer be bound to pay them while they undertake the training?"
The new right is expected to come into force in 2010.
