Being asked to share course sponsorship with a colleague

[Frontier]

I have applied to do a work related course. The course costs £1500 and I was told verbally before I applied that my employer would pay. However, there is also a national sponsorship scheme that employer asked me to apply for.

I applied and was accepted, so my fees are fully paid with no cost to me or my employer. However, a colleague who has applied for the same course was unsuccessful in her sponsorship application.

Employer is now saying they that when agreed to "support" our applications they didn't mean they would pay our fees and my colleague has been told she will have to pay. FWIW, I am sure I had a conversation about what it would cost and agreeing to pay it back if we left in 3 years but no-one else seems to recall that!

It has been "suggested" (not by colleague) that I should share my sponsorship and we each pay 50%.

I have no idea what basis the applications were assessed on but I know I spent a long time on mine and it was flippin' brilliant, even if I say so myself! On that basis I do feel I earned and deserve my sponsorship. However, I have no idea if hers was equally good or if it was just luck of the draw. If it was just luck, then maybe splitting it would be fair.

Also, I don't know how it would work from a legal/technical POV. My fees will be paid direct by the sponsors and she will need to pay hers, so I will have to write a cheque to her for her share. It doesn't feel right.

We get on well, I count her as a friend, I want to behave properly but not sure about this. WWYD? Of course, I really believe employer should pay, as thy had previously agreed to pay for both of us, but that doesn't seem to be happening now.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

I would wonder if you have been awarded this money for one purpose ( your fees) if you the used it for a second purpose (colleagues fees) could this not potentially be fraud.
I would feel if the organisation wanted to split the sponsorship they would have done. I applied for a travel sponsorship of which there was supposedly only one of £1000, 10 applied there were two of s who the company awarded £500 each.

[flowery]

Firstly, what Lonecat said - the organisation in question has chosen to give you full sponsorship, not anyone else.

Secondly, you should not hand money over to your colleague to fund her training, absolutely not. She (and you) may feel the employer should pay/promised to pay but she must take that up with them, and they should not take advantage of you in order to get themselves out of that hole.

If your colleague is any kind of normal person let alone a friend, she would be horrified at the suggestion that you pay out of your own pocket for her training.

[Frontier]

That's kind of where I'm coming from Lone but I wouldn't be using the sponsorship for another purpose - my fees will be paid direct by the sponsor. I would then have to pay my colleague enough to cover 50% of her fees in a separate transaction. I have no idea how the paperwork for this might be drawn up. Actually, thinking about it, there must be tax implications there - she would be able to offset the (full) cost against tax and I wouldn't, so I'd actually be paying more than she would.

The other possibility is that the employer do agree to cover her fees but that we each agree to pay back half should one of us leave within 3 years. Not sure I'm happy with that either.

[Frontier]

Thank you flowery. In my mind that was the correct answer but I wasn't sure if I was looking at it from a biased POV.

The suggestion hasn't come from my colleague but from our line manager and at this stage it's only been floated as an idea. Colleague is saying that if employer won't pay she won't be able to take up her place which is making me feel bad

[TheCraicDealer]

Your training and her's are two desperate issues. You're two different employees, why on earth are they trying to shoehorn you together? Why should you have to pay in the event she takes herself off after 2.5 years or something? No. Just no.

I'd politely tell them that as far as you're concerned your fees are paid for. Funding your colleague's fees are neither your concern or your business.

[flowery]

I understand you feeling a bit guilty but this is between your colleague and your employer. It is not your problem and you do not have to provide the solution and get the employer out of a hole at significant cost to yourself.

"The other possibility is that the employer do agree to cover her fees but that we each agree to pay back half should one of us leave within 3 years."

You can't pay back half your fees if your employer hasn't funded them in the first place.

[FunkyBoldRibena]

No, you should not pay her fees. No way jose.

What if she leaves
What if she doesn't pass the exams

You got the bursary or sponsorship, whatever it is called. That means you get your course paid for. As much as you like this other person, for whatever reason, she didn't. You wouldn't just hand over £750 because you are friends with someone for any other reason, the situation with her training is between her and her employer - nothing to do with you.

[FishWithABicycle]

No you shouldn't have to share with this colleague. I'm shocked that they aren't paying for your colleague anyway. Personally I would never pay that kind of money fro my own pocket to go on a work-related course, and any employer who expects employees to fund their own training from their own pocket isn't one I'd be happy staying at.

However, if they aren't going to pay for your colleague then that is nothing to do with you, and not your problem. You put in the effort to apply for the sponsorship, it is yours. It is totally unreasonable for them to expect you to pay half the fees when you earned the right to go without paying, and you earned it fair and square.

[Shallan]

You don't need to feel bad about this, and it's completely out of order for your employer to even suggest this.

You won the sponsorship fair and square, it's yours and should be used for your fees.

[PumpkinBones]

Well done on getting sponsorship but I cannot get over this even being floated as an idea!!!!!!!!!

[MrsMargoLeadbetter]

I cannot believe they even suggested it!

Your sponsorship, your course. They probably just thought they'd like to save £ if you both recieved the sponsorship.....and then that didn't happen.

As an aside 3 years sounds an excessive tie in for £1500....

[IntheYear2525]

Can she re-apply for sponsorship next year?

TBH I would tell them that when you applied for this course it was on the understanding that that you would not be using your own money to pay for the course. If you had been told at the outset that you would be asked to pay half the fee you would not have applied as you can't afford it. You still can't afford it now and if they insist that you pay out if you do the course then you will be unable to do the course at all and the sponsorship money will go to waste.