Refusing to pay for a college course

jucko wrote: »

My employer has asked me to take part in a course on my own time and is refusing to pay the course fee which comes to 700 euro.Obviously i don't just have 700 euro on hand and when i told her i could not afford this her reply was as i was a team leader i had to do it.When i asked about getting time in lieu or paid for the day when the course is taking place she more or less laughed.anybody got any advice or where i stand with employment rights etc

A very unusual position for an employer to take.
AIUI, if some extra qualification or membership of a professional body is a "necessary condition of continued employment", then an employee is entitled to submit the costs to Revenue & will be reimbursed through a reduction in tax.

NOTE: I'm not a lawyer or a tax consultant, but ISTR reading this a long time ago, but in all the courses I was required to do, my employer paid for them (& probably claimed the costs as a tax deduction).

Perhaps someone else can clarify/confirm this - maybe a look at revenue.ie.
If this turns out to be true - then a letter from your employer stating that you must take this course to keep your job should be enough to get you the cost back.
You still need to pay up front (probably), but at least you get the money back (eventually).

However, this is a really unusual situation, most employers pay for courses - there are (or were) training grants available, employees are not normally asked to pay for courses out of their own pocket.