Question:
Can anyone help please?
A friend of mine works in the construction industry in England and his
employer deducts 2% from his wages as a "CITB training levy". Is this
correct/legal?
Any advice would be appreciated.
Answer:
It depends on so many factors, I doubt you'll get an answer here.
Here in the U.S., what can be deducted from an employee's paycheck
varies with the state, the county, the city, and whether the contractor
is union, non union, or open shop, and if so, which bargaining
agreement with which unions he has signed or not signed, and which
bargaining agreement the employee in question is working under.
It certainly isn't enough information to say "in the construction
industry in the U.S.", and it isn't enough information for England,
either.
Different employees, on the same job, at the same site, for the same
employer, at the same time, have different deductions, for different
things. Especially for something as trade specific as training.
You have to have all the relevant information about a specific
employee, job, job classification, and time frame.
Contrary to your opinion the construction industries and
unions have little or no variation in deductions throughout
the UK.
The answer to the original question is; Yes, if the training
program is available to your position in his company and you
are not already certified to the level of that course, or if
you completed the course while in his employ. Otherwise it
would be a good idea to check with the employment commision or
whatever it is called now. It has been a few years since I
worked in the UK and the names of the regulating authorities
have all changed, but I could check with my brother in
Scotland.
