Consider time for training
Information employees must include in a time to train request
In order for a request for time to train to be a valid request, covered by the legislation, it must be submitted in writing and contain the following information:
- a statement that the application is an 'application under section 63D Employment Rights Act 1996'
- the subject matter of the proposed training or study
- where and when the proposed training or study would take place
- who would provide or supervise it
- what qualification it would lead to (if any)
- how the employee thinks the proposed training or study wouldimprove their effectiveness in your business and the performance ofyour business
- the date of the application
- the date and method - eg email or letter - that the employee's last application (if any) was submitted
Employees can submit requests in any written form they choose as long as they contain the above information. You may want to provide your employees with a form or template of your own.
Frequency of requests
You are only required to consider one request from an employee in any twelve month period unless your employee has requested that you ignore an earlier request.
If one of your employees submits more than one request in a given 12 month period, it would be good practice to inform them within 28 days if you do not intend to consider it.
This is only applicable to England, Scotland and Wales. The information is not relevant to businesses in Northern Ireland.
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Read also: Subjects covered in this guide
- Time to Train: Introduction
- Employee eligibility criteria for time to train
- Training employees can request as part of time to train
- Information employees must include in a time to train request
- Invalid time to train requests and request withdrawals
- Timescales for considering time to train requests
- Considering whether to accept or reject a time to train request
- Communicating decisions on time to train requests
- Internal appeals process for time to train requests
- Dealing with unresolved time to train requests
- Employment protection and time to train requests

This guide is developed by the BIS: Department for Business Innovation & Skills, for BusinessLink.gov.uk. © Crown copyright 2010

