Can an employer make you sit an exam?

[whitetilesmurf]

I’ve worked in an office for 10 years. The services we provide can cover two aspects but we’ve always, due to being a small office, only provided one area and we’ve done it very well.

We recently took on a new person who actively wanted to train in the second aspect so we had both. She passed the course and the final exam. The remaining staff agreed to assist her with the admin which we have been learning for the last 4 weeks or so.

One of the directors came to our office today and while we were chatting said she wants me to do the same course starting in February. She must have seen how startled I looked and followed it up with they are four times a year so you can do Spring. She finished with saying she wants all admin staff to do the course and exam.

This has never been mentioned before now. I am happy to pick up the extra admin however, I have zero interest in doing a course or putting myself through exams. I’ve seen the stress those staff members who have to do it have been put under. I am really worried that I can be forced into exams. Can anyone help?

No I don't anyone could force you to do it if its not a profession requirement etc but it could perhaps be seen as not following a reasonable management instruction if the course supports your job role. If I was you , I would start by having a discussion with your manager to explain your concerns , they may be able to offer you some assurances around why they feel this is important or it may have just been a flippant comment made by the director . Ultimately if its not needed for you to perform your role to standard, I am sure they won't try and force you to do .

So employers can make certain training/certification mandatory, if they feel that it's required for the business, or to bring the business in a new direction/take opportunities they previously wouldn't have.

That said, I would be having a conversation with your manager as to would this mean a change in your respondabilities. If it doesn't, and you would only be carrying out whatever duties you are today, you can make the argument that its uneccessary cost to the employer for little benefit

Yes, I think they can require you to do training if they believe it will be beneficial for the business.

@vanillandhoney

Yes, I think they can require you to do training if they believe it will be beneficial for the business.

Surely there is a difference between training and exams. Think admin v being an accountant. I’m trying not to be specific, just general but that’s it.

Surely there is a difference between training and exams. Think admin v being an accountant. I’m trying not to be specific, just general but that’s it.

I'm not sure tbh. Everything I can find says they can make you do training but they have to pay you for it all, which is reasonable to me.

Is there much difference really between training and exams? Are the exams not just to prove you've passed the training?

A few questions I'd ask them / myself:

Will this be in work time, including time to study?
If you leave will you have to repay the cost of the training?
Will this training / qualification add to my marketability in the outside world if I needed a new job?
What exactly do the 'exams' involve?