Training Contract Deferral Dangers
Deferred training contracts obviously provide pretty poor publicity for the firms resorting to such measures but there are dangers for the prospective trainees also. Although rumours abound that a number of firms may be considering going down this path, so far only Muckle and Ward Hadaway have actually pushed back training contracts. We are keeping an ear to the ground on this front as it seems likely that other firms will follow suit as the recession bites harder. Luckily for …
Deferred training contracts obviously provide pretty poor publicity for the firms resorting to such measures but there are dangers for the prospective trainees also. Although rumours abound that a number of firms may be considering going down this path, so far only Muckle and Ward Hadaway have actually pushed back training contracts. We are keeping an ear to the ground on this front as it seems likely that other firms will follow suit as the recession bites harder.
Luckily for Trainees, they are unlikely to be made redundant once they start their training contracts unless they fail exams or cause a major cock-up, as the firms are contracted to training them for two years. So even though they may see assistants and associates being laid waste all around them they should be able to sit tight at least until their contract is up.
However, prospective trainees should make sure they check carefully the terms and conditions of their employment contracts before they accept a deferral…
According to The Lawyer : "Trainee solicitors should think carefully before agreeing to have the start dates of their training contracts postponed, according to a top employment lawyer.
Dawsons head of employment Jo Keddie said trainees are unlikely to be made redundant once they start their training contracts, but should be wary of accepting a deferral without first checking the terms and conditions of their employment contracts.
Keddie said it was important to check employment contracts carefully to protect future employment.
“What are you going to do about it – sue them? You have got no money and no job. In this environment employers are getting away with murder,” she warned."
Is your firm thinking of deferring training contracts?
Are you being asked to defer your training contract?
December 10, 2008
I have heard rumours that some other firms might be deferring TCs; all very nerve wracking
December 10, 2008
rumours rumours – you won’t know until they actually do a press release about it; most firms will be loath to admit stuff like that until they absolutely have to
December 10, 2008
I’ve hear rumours too. Personally if mine got deferred I’d take the opportunity to go travelling or something.
December 10, 2008
This happened a lot during the tech crash, a number of my contemporaries got paid to defer and used the time to travel etc before starting work. Seemed like a pretty sweet deal really.
December 10, 2008
Clearly some firms would rather cancel all together but this is not really an option. It is a strange quirk that so many jobs are being shed at the moment but firms are more keen to avoid the embarrasment of cutting/deferring their training programmes than their qualified junior lawyers.
December 10, 2008
Chopping associates makes sense as they still cost a fair bit and it doesn’t look so bad – they are qualified and can fend for themselves to some extent. Knobbling trainees before they even get a foot on the ladder is probably more blood than most firms would want on their hands.
December 10, 2008
Having secured a training contract at a top 50 firm, this is not the kind of stuff i wanted to be hearing.
not hot.