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It's been a long old slug, but a case has been finally set for a hearing where my ex employers claim I owe them £3700 in training fees.
the contract stated, "Where you have entered into a training agreement with the company, any outstanding costs detailed in the agreement will be deducted from your final pay".
No where does it say they would pursue me in court otherwise I wouldn't have signed the contract. This has been my defence from the start.
Here's a background:
I had worked for my employer for 12 months when they decided they would change the way the business runs, we were all interviewed for our jobs again and we were given new contracts. This was for care work with overnight sleep ins with a shift of 48 hours 2 days on 4 off.
We were asked to sign training agreements as they wanted to sign us up for college. We were informed that as the resident/s would be away for the weekends it would give us time to study at the weekends when our shift pattern fell on those days.
Covid happened and we never got to use the weekends for studying. We have lost 2 members of staff which put a massive strain on us all. We were told we would have to cover the shifts. There were weeks I would be working between 3 and 9 days straight, and I was expected to go home after my shifts and study.
Needless to say I fell behind with my studying, was being pressurised by the company with phone calls on my days off and I ended up getting 2 weeks off sick because it just reduced me to tears.
After the two weeks off I had a date set to return to work but I went into some childish manner where I had a fear of going back to work, thinking about going back would reduce me to tears. I called the doctor and he advised me if this is the job I really want. He signed me off for a further 2 weeks and told me to consider my options. I decided I would leave.
As soon as I left I was paid my last months wages which included sick pay. No wages was deducted for the course fees.
i was then sent letters from the company asking how I was going to pay, with a payment plan offered to pay over 12 months. This was not possible as I currently had no job and didn't believe I owed it anyway.
I ignored the letters as I had the same feeling of upset whenever I heard from them. After a few weeks I received a letter of claim. I've done all of the paperwork up to now but yesterday i received the date for the court case and it says I need to send my statement to the claimant?
I'm not the best at writing and giving a good defence, but the lack of empathy from this company I'm expecting them to really push hard. Its depressing me so much. I put that I didn't want to claim compensation but I really I really I had now.
Can anyone advise me as to where I go with this statement? The letter from the court looks so daunting. I just want it all over.
Kind regards
Matt
the contract stated, "Where you have entered into a training agreement with the company, any outstanding costs detailed in the agreement will be deducted from your final pay".
No where does it say they would pursue me in court otherwise I wouldn't have signed the contract. This has been my defence from the start.
Here's a background:
I had worked for my employer for 12 months when they decided they would change the way the business runs, we were all interviewed for our jobs again and we were given new contracts. This was for care work with overnight sleep ins with a shift of 48 hours 2 days on 4 off.
We were asked to sign training agreements as they wanted to sign us up for college. We were informed that as the resident/s would be away for the weekends it would give us time to study at the weekends when our shift pattern fell on those days.
Covid happened and we never got to use the weekends for studying. We have lost 2 members of staff which put a massive strain on us all. We were told we would have to cover the shifts. There were weeks I would be working between 3 and 9 days straight, and I was expected to go home after my shifts and study.
Needless to say I fell behind with my studying, was being pressurised by the company with phone calls on my days off and I ended up getting 2 weeks off sick because it just reduced me to tears.
After the two weeks off I had a date set to return to work but I went into some childish manner where I had a fear of going back to work, thinking about going back would reduce me to tears. I called the doctor and he advised me if this is the job I really want. He signed me off for a further 2 weeks and told me to consider my options. I decided I would leave.
As soon as I left I was paid my last months wages which included sick pay. No wages was deducted for the course fees.
i was then sent letters from the company asking how I was going to pay, with a payment plan offered to pay over 12 months. This was not possible as I currently had no job and didn't believe I owed it anyway.
I ignored the letters as I had the same feeling of upset whenever I heard from them. After a few weeks I received a letter of claim. I've done all of the paperwork up to now but yesterday i received the date for the court case and it says I need to send my statement to the claimant?
I'm not the best at writing and giving a good defence, but the lack of empathy from this company I'm expecting them to really push hard. Its depressing me so much. I put that I didn't want to claim compensation but I really I really I had now.
Can anyone advise me as to where I go with this statement? The letter from the court looks so daunting. I just want it all over.
Kind regards
Matt
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