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Further education

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Original poster

Do employers have to give time off for work experience?

32 replies

Rollergirl11 · 27/03/2023 16:41

Just that really. DD is in Year 12 and has her compulsory work experience week in June. She won’t be available for one of her shifts at work as a result. Her work colleagues say she will have to take the day as annual leave. Is that the case? One of the teachers at her college told DD that employers have to permit time off for educational purposes. As far as I’m aware Work experience is mandatory for all students across Year 12 so will it fall under this or will she have to take as annual leave?

OP posts:
GoodChat · 27/03/2023 18:13

Don't be absurd. She's turning down paid work for unpaid work.

Unless she's on a course that requires placements in certain industries, she's already getting work experience.

And if she is, she needs to book time off or swap shifts.

Bunnyannesummers · 27/03/2023 18:09

there is no requirement for employers to offer time off for education related commitments (other than apprenticeships) -to be blunt the education of their employees isn’t their responsibility.

she could ask for annual leave or unpaid, as is the case for any occasion you can’t work your assigned shifts

EgyptAdvice · 27/03/2023 17:09

Don't be daft of course she has to take annual leave

PlateBilledDuckyPerson · 27/03/2023 17:05

How bonkers it sounds for someone to have to miss a shift of actual work for 'work experience'. I get that the work experience is likely to be in the field of a long term career and thus valuable, but you'd have thought there might be some flexibility with the work experience to do the shift and make up the time.

Myneighboursnorlax · 27/03/2023 17:04

Can she not work there that day as part of the work experience? If work experience is for them to “experience work”, she’ll be doing that by sticking to her existing work commitments. When I was at school (a while ago now!) any students who already had jobs were allowed to work there during that week (if the shifts were available)

Original poster
Rollergirl11 · 27/03/2023 16:58

She’s not expecting it to be paid leave, is more than happy for it to be unpaid. It’s just she doesn’t have much holiday entitlement as it is and thought it seemed unfair to use a day for something she is obligated to do by her school setting.

OP posts:
HermioneWeasley · 27/03/2023 16:52

I am not aware of any requirement to offer paid time off so someone can attend work experience elsewhere. Why wouldn’t she take annual leave?