Small businesses want to be excluded from proposed rules governing staff requests for training.

The facts:

The government is consulting stakeholders about the issue of staff training. It says employees should have a right to request time off from work to train and that the request should be witnessed by a union representative.

Small business lobby group the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) argues this will prove a major impediment for small businesses that don’t have the time or resources to arrange and carry out formal meetings.

In a submission to the consultation it has requested an exemption for businesses with 20 staff or fewer, replacing the formal meetings with informal “one-on-ones” without the requirement for union participation.

They said:

“We’re concerned that the employee’s right to request a meeting to discuss time off to train will not only lead to an extra layer of bureaucracy, but will also lead to panic amongst small businesses that a refusal could be interpreted as constructive dismissal.

“We believe the best way to engage small businesses with the policy are to keep it informal between employer and employee, making it easier to identify the necessary training,” said Colin Willman, education and skills chairman for the FSB.

We say:

Once again, this issue comes down to small business’ lack of time and resources. Most small businesses have good relationships with their employees and find it easier to come to casual arrangements about training and time off.

Formalising the process will create an unnecessary layer of red tape and will put an artificial barrier between employers and staff members. Better to make it easier for staff to complain about bosses who break the law than encumber the vast majority who do not.

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By News Desk  on   Aug 26,2008

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Keywords

red tape    training    FSB    small business    government   

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