Working From Home


If you are sick and cannot work, then you need to speak to your employer and follow the normal sickness absence guidelines and you will be entitled to your normal sick pay conditions.

If your period of sickness extends beyond 4 weeks, then you may need to discuss a break in learning – see section on break in learning.

As with regular off the job training, the training needs to be directly relevant to your apprenticeship and should involve acquiring new knowledge, skills and behaviours.

Examples of off the job training when working from home could include:

  • Virtual / online classroom training
  • Online coaching and mentoring
  • E-learning/distance learning
  • Self-study
  • Assignment completion

If you’re unsure, you need to speak to your training provider about what materials, you can access.
You need to discuss this with your training provider or employer. Please bear in mind that this may be hard to organise whilst the country is in lock down. Most employers and training providers are struggling with the demand for laptops with many of their people working from home.
In the first instance discuss your caring responsibilities with your line manager and make sure that you don’t struggle and cope alone. You may still be able to continue your apprenticeship learning at home if your training provider can accommodate this through online or distance learning. If you feel you need it, you might also be able to take a short break in learning which doesn’t affect when you complete your apprenticeship.
For many apprentices, it will be entirely possible to continue your apprenticeship, even if you are working from home, but will depend on your circumstances. You will need to discuss this with your line manager and your training provider.
You will need to speak to your employer, and it will very much depend on the type of work that you do. In theory, yes, if you are not presenting any symptoms and are well - remote working should be enabled wherever possible. If you are unwell then your company’s normal sickness process should be followed.