need advice re: paying employer for course

[tink123]

Dh is having contract terminated at end of month so his company can drop his wages and change all his working conditions. They expect him and all other staff to re sign new contract before then.

He has good chance of new job prior to this so may not be signing after all. His company has a policy of making everyone pay for any courses they do if they leave within a year of doing the course.

He got a certificate last year for a course he never even did. Now his work are saying anyone that does not come back on new contract has to pay back £1000 for this course. Bearing in mind you can do this course at any college for £150-300 and it did not cost his company anything to teach it, DH does not see why he should pay it back.

After all his company have dismissed him for not signing contract. If they do charge him, he is tempted to report them to the course awarding authority but then he is worried this could affect everyone's job if the company gets penalised.

hi tink.

OK as I understand it, you have 2 issues:

1. being dismissed and rehired on new contract
2. paying back course fees.

Being dismissed and rehired is still a dismissal. if the company can demonstrate they've consulted, they have a good business reason and the others are all accepting this then it may be a fair dismissal, but it doesn't sound like they've gone about this in a reasonable way. your DH may have a case for unfair dismissal.

Repayment of course fees isn't clear cut. has he signed anything saying he will pay back fees and authorising a deduction from wages? if not, then it may be their policy, but without written consent, it is an unlawful deduction if they try and take it from his pay.