Cost of course to be repaid if I leave within 2/3 years

[Frontier]

I've asked to do a course which relates to my current job but will also make me better placed for the next one. ATM, I have a PT job which isn't particularly stretching but suits me while DC are young.

My plan is to stick with this for another couple of years and then look to move on, probably FT. This qualification will make me much better placed for the job I have in mind.

Anyway, current employer has agreed to fund my course, which I'm very grateful for, but I've been told verbally that I'll have to repay the (substantial) cost if I leave within 2-3 years.

That seems reasonable to me. I'll only be leaving if the job is substantially better anyway, unless it's through redundancy or similar.

So, I have a couple of concerns. None of this is in writing and the 2-3 years hasn't been defined. Is it 2 or is it 3? Is it from the start of end of the 2 year course? I don't know whether to push to have it clarified and formalised or just to keep quiet and by the time I leave everyone will probably have forgotten about it.

What happens if I leave for a reason other than moving to bigger better things? I can't see any reason why that should happen ATM but you never know. I could be sacked, or leave through ill health etc. In those circumstances I wouldn't have the money to repay.

We have a clause within our contracts about repayment of course fees. Degree level/professional course fees are to be repaid if the person leaves within 18 months of the end of the course, which reduces as the time progresses, so for eg if they left 6 months after the end of the course, they would have to repay 12/18ths of the full cost.
The fees aren't repayable if the person leaves because of redundancy or through ill-health.

I'd get it agreed in writing but also they are asking you to so it and they will get the benefit of you being trained. So I would probably say that they are asking too much and that a year should be sufficient . What if your partner gets a j

I would imagine that if they want this to officially be a condition of you going on the course, they would have to draw something up that you would read, agree and sign or debate points. We did something similar at work with a sliding scale of how much should be repaid like Ellypoo describes.

Job elsewhere, or god forbid you get ill etc. I would say to them that they will get the benefit from it so you would only be happy to do this within a year and it should be pro rata

I would wait to see what they put in writing. This will not be enforceable without a signed document from you

IME claw back over a 2 year period is not unusual or unreasonable

I had this: work paid for a course but then there was nowhere for me to progress. I did go for promotion but as it was a "step over" the next step iyswim they wouldn't give it to me (their exact words!). I ended up getting another job. I was more than happy to pay it back, but initially they were going to take it from my last wages, which meant I would have come out with minus wages that month. I lived alone at the time so would have been stuck. I cried negotiated and they allowed me to pay back x pounds a month for however many months, can't remember. The proviso, however, which I now fully understand, was that I leave a load of cheques when I left.

It was a little annoying especially as the opportunity for promotion was there but they couldn't see beyond the "step over" nonsense, but doing that course has been absolutely essential two me, and as it's been nine years since I left that particular organisation, water under the bridge now.

to me. Not two me.

I need a course for spellings, clearly.

It's clearly defined with us, too, about repayment of course fees if you leave (at your own volition - redundancy's exempte.) I think it's 6 month, but I'd have to check.

If it's not already covered in your contract, then I'd ask for it in writing from HR.

manchestermummy, what does "step over" mean?

It's only actually legal IF they get it in writing. So don't whatever you do ask for it in writing!

You may find that they ask you to sign an agreement of some sort once the course is booked/finalised and that will spell out the finer detail.

I didn't explain that very well did I...

Say the posts are graded 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 and I'm a Grade 2. The natural progession would be Grade 3. But what I was trying to do (and was capable and qualified to do as they had paid for me to do the qualification...) was get a Grade 4 position.

I've managed to make that jump by moving organisations since then!

Ok, thanks for explaining - haven't seen it called that before.