Ask the expert: Forcing staff to attend training

Does an employee have the right to not attend a compulsory five-day training course due to home and family commitments? Esther Smith and Matthew Whelan advise.

The question:

Can HR force a staff member to attend a five-day training course? I have a staff member who advised at interview stage they could not go away on courses overnight as his wife works and they have a young child aged two. HR has advised the course is compulsory and I have to advise the staff member to go.

He has always attended courses which he can drive to, however this course is based four hours away and would require four nights away. The course is to learn 'the company's way of selling' and FSA Insurance procedures. My staff member is a very experienced staff member in sales and has already completed FSA Insurance online and passed. I feel I will loose this valuable staff member due to HR's policies on this matter.