can they charge me for missed training?

[schmontilidrop]

Its my own fault really. i was off sick for two days, came back to work, under pressure to get things done for big auidt. Totally thew myself into working flat out to get it done and just forgott about the training course i was meant to be on.

We have had an invoice come through today. boss is fuming and has said its most likely ill have to foot the bill for this personally.

can they do that?

No your boss should have checked your welfare and that you were ok to do the course after coming back from sickleave.

How much is the bill?

£35. Not a lot, but as a part time working lone parent that is a lot. Esp when ive a car repair thats £1200 and im doing car boots to raise the money.

The boss was pushing me to get the work done. It had a tight deadline. i felt guilty about being off sick and just wasnt thinking.Boss did have email from me saying i would be at a training course on such and such date.. alongw with all the details, They didnt remember either.
Though the blame is mine.

i was told it would have to go to the finance committee and that they would not approve it.

So, what do i say in response of this?

Ive contacted the training company to try and get the fee waivered due to sickness which boss said boss would agree to.

Tell them to deduct it from your wages and then take another day off to compensate

Is it a small company that would 'miss' £35?

You were a bit flaky to miss out (even though you'd been ill), but i understand they can't set the precedent that it is OK to not show up for a course.

its a charity.

OK, you forgot about the training/didn't attend, and now the company is being asked to pay.

But, you were working extra hard to prepare for a big audit. What should have taken priority - the course or preparation for the audit? What do you think? What would your boss think?

I have a feeling that your employer would need your authorisation before deducting something like this from your salary payment.

Is it written down anywhere in your contract/company policy that the company will charge the employee in these circumstances?

Even if there was something in writing, I think it would be very unreasonable of them to force you to pay. Given that you had been ill/working hard for the audit/your boss knew about your course, I think your employer should use its discretion to waive it.

Might the training company be prepared give you a new date for the training, with the bill getting paid once?

The audit,, I was told to stop all other work and just do that. Other collegues told the same. Nothing but audit work happened for that week. I didnt even check emails, worked through lunch etc.

However, the training is something i need to do. Not something that was just for fun or interesting.

I dont know. Apart from missing it and having to stump up the money myself i can see myself being in big trouble for this.

just checked the training policy. There is no mention about cancellation charges or passing these onto the individual.
All it mentions is agreeing the training beforehand with the manager. Which i did and the training was free.

But you seem to be saying that the training - while important - should probably have been postponed to another/better time anyway?

Do you really think your boss would have wanted you to disappear off on a course when work was so pressurised?

No- not at all.

First thing i was asked monday morning was how is the audit stuff comig on. When i replied that it wasnt as i was off sick i got a telling off and that it was top priorty and that i should do nothing else and just get it done.

But i should have been thinking and cancelled really. That would have saved the charge, i was just trying to keep my head down and work hard as the two days i had off sick seemed to have annoyed people.