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Sadly it happens quite a lot. We write and quote the rules and the employer contract where they have signed and pursue it until the apprentice confirms the cost has been taken off. We have been threatened with solicitors before but our evidence is clear and they have all been sorted in the end, just some take longer than others. If we need to we remind them that we will have to report the issue to the ESFA.
I don't know of any issues we've had, but as a minimum I'd be advising my colleagues not to work with that employer again if they refused to back down. It's possible it's happened and we never found out. What would the Apprenticeship Service do if we reported it? It would be good if they could ban employers from recruiting apprentices for a period. Providers face all sorts of penalties for not following the rules, there should be similar for problem employers. Is there anything? We've stopped working with several employers over the years for various reasons, but it doesn't stop then engaging with another provider who then goes through all the same issues.
Chloe Mcilwaine
Employer charging an apprentice 5% contribution.
Edited
Hi, We have an apprentice who has completed his apprenticeship with his employer but is now changing employers, he has notified us that her current employer (one he signed up onto the apprenticeship with) is saying they are going to charge him the £350 they have paid for the Apprenticeship. We know that the funding rules state that they cannot charge the apprentice and that the employer signs to say they will not charge the apprentice, however, where do we actually stand with enforcing this? We will obviously be contacting the employer and informing them that it's against the funding rules and that they have signed to say they will not charge them. Any advice would be really appreciated.