If you are older than 17 years of age and have 6 months' service or more, the main legal obligation (currently only on organisations with 250 or more staff) is to consider your request. Such employers must comply with statutory time limits and procedures relating to that request. For example, within 28 days of making your request the employer must normally have accepted it, or met with you to discuss it (giving its decision within 14 days thereafter).
If your request is turned down, consider whether the employer has complied with these requirements. If not, you may be able to challenge its decision in an employment tribunal. If your request has been lawfully turned down, and you remain keen to learn a language you will have to accept that this will have to be studied for in your own time and financed by you.
There are a variety of different learning opportunities for studying a language some of which may mean you can learn at home via video, CD ROMs, computer courses, cassette tapes etc.
Learndirect can inform you about potential language programmes in your area.
If you are aged 16 or 17, are not in full-time education and have not attained a certain standard of achievement (for example grades A-C in five subjects at GCSE), then there is a legal right to time off work, with pay, for such study or training.
The amount of time off must be reasonable, taking into account the requirements of your study or training, together with the circumstances of your employer's business and the effect of the time off on that business.
Pay for such training should be at the normal hourly rate. To find out more about time off to study for 16 and 17 year olds, visit the Department for Education website.
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