Repayment of education sponsorship

[StellaBrillante]

I started a professional qualification paid for by my employer when I was still in my previous role (over 2 years ago), which was completely unrelated to what I do now. I then moved on and tried to continue with my studies. However, due to personal issues and stress levels at work, I had a breakdown, was off work for 2 months and a lot more has happened in the meantime. According to the sponsorship policy, I've got to complete the course or repay 100% of the costs. I contacted the education team a few weeks ago and my argument is that the qualification was specific for my previous role. They however brushed my argument aside saying that I had no option but to finish it. There is already so much going on at the moment that I can't face it and I would also have to pay to re-sit an exam which I can't afford to do (and wouldn't want to spend the money!). I have told my employer that I want to reduce my hours from July for work-life balance reasons. Is it worth trying to build a business case citing my point about the role itself, my personal reasons and the potential implication on my health?

Of course, employers can make exceptions to the rule and exercise their discretion, but that is their choice.

So it's really up to you whether you think it's worth the effort of making a case or not - for me I would not be expending the effort if it looked like my employer would not agree.

At my work, we have a repayment policy based on length of service - so if you complete a sponsored qualification and leave within six months, you pay back 100%, if you leave after six months it's 50%, and after that, there is no repayment.

If we pay for something but don't get the value of it , of course we expect the commitment to be refunded.

I personally have been subsidised to the tune of £2k - and went into it fully understanding that if I left, I was bound by the policy to repay.

If you signed up to the T&C at the outset, then unless you can build a case that those T&C are unfair/illegal, you need to finish or pay up.

Have you tried asking for an extension, to make up for time lost owing to ill health; or a deferral?

I suspect that if you signed it you are stuck, an extension might be possible though. I got into a horrible situation similarly, they tried to apply mine retrospectively when I was halfway through a course and then made it impossible for me to finish it, the fees were £20k, eventually I was made redundant and got out of it that way, but my firm were adamant that they would stick to the policy, it is a lot of money for them to lose too. I do feel for you, it is a horrible position to be in.

Will there actually be any benefit to the company from you finishing the course? I think you need some proper professional advice here TBH, hope you can work something out.

I'd go further - we dont' have our staff sign each policy (it would take days!) - but in signing their contract, they are signing up to our terms and policies.

Our sponsorship policy had a form which you had to sign before getting the approval to start a course (in my case they thought it didn't apply but then changed their minds).

You are right, I did sign it and I was of course fully aware of the ts&cs. Personal issues aside, I am concerned about spending £180 to re-sit an exam for a qualification which is totally irrelevant to my current role - I've got to pay for this myself. I did study and put in the hours and in fact passed the other exam with merit but I seem to be stuck with the theory one, much to my dispair. In total, the course cost £1,800. I will struggle to prepare for the re-sit even if I do manage to find the spare cash register for it. Not only that but it's my last chance meaning that if I don't pass, I will have to repay the company somehow. What a mess. Anyway, thank you for your replies.

Agree you don't have any kind of 'business case' you can build. You knew the deal and have changed your mind for various good reasons, but that's still the deal. It's a case of appealing to their better nature really.

What about your line manager? Is he/she supportive and could support you in this, in perhaps brokering a compromise of delayed payment or something?

Can the OP be forced to pay for the resit though?

No but she can be forced to repay the while amount if she doesn't as the deal was "complete or pay back"

Unless the original agreement was they'd pay for any resits, then if she wants to take them she'll have to pay. She could elect not to take them but would then have to pay the whole thing back.

Crikey, that's rough.

Lucky I did not have any clauses like that with my training.

not harsh at all imho. Why should a company pay for someone's development, when they will get no benefit from it?

yes perfectly normal. Usually there is a requirement to stay with the employer for a certain amount of time afterwards as well, to avoid having to make repayments of all or part of the fees after having been sponsored.

hi flowery,
i have to stay with the company for another two years after i've completed my qualification. however, if you take all into consideration, i can't see how the company will benefit from it seeing that i moved roles over two years ago and the qualification is completely unrelated to my current position. but it IS on the ts&cs...

Well it's not just about them benefiting from the qualification directly, although that's obviously the idea when starting it.

It's also about them benefiting from your services for two years after having invested in you, it's about not allowing another employer to benefit from their training investment. It's about training being expensive, having a limited training budget and putting safeguards in to ensure as far as possible that the money goes to the right place. They don't want to send the message that they will fund training and people can give it up midway through or leave immediately afterwards without having to pay it back.

I feel for you, I really do, but this is all pretty standard tbh.