All Article articles – Page 580
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ArticleGovernment to simplify auto-enrolment legislation
The government has launched a consultation outlining its plans to simplify the auto-enrolment process and help reduce burdens on employers.A Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) consultation, Technical changes to automatic-enrolment: consultation on draft regulations, sets out a number of changes to legislation designed to make life easier for all ...
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ArticleEmployers should act now to manage holiday pay
The EAT ruled that overtime pay must be included in holiday pay calculations, a decision that sent shockwaves through employers, with many fearing the potential cost. The judgments were made in Bear Scotland v Fulton, which focused on whether overtime pay or shift allowances should be included in holiday pay ...
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ArticleUpdate of key compliance issues in November
The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) ruled that overtime pay must be included in holiday pay calculations.PricewaterhouseCoopers lost a sex discrimination case against an employee, Erik Pietzka, who wanted to work flexibly but had his request rejected. The employment tribunal heard that the employee who dealt with Pietzka’s application was of ...
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ArticleEmployee Benefits digital magazine – December 2014
Read this month’s articles in the digital magazine by clicking the links below, or read the online versions by using the links to the right under ‘Related articles’ (these articles will go live in stages during December 2014).Benchmarking their benefits package against that of competitors will help employers attract talent ...
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Article75% of 30-49 year olds do not understand pensions
Three-quarters (75%) of 30-49 year olds and 81% of 18-29 year olds do not understand pensions, according to research by Barnett Waddingham.Its Helping Hands research, which surveyed 850 members of the public, also found that 40% of respondents aged between 18 and 29 claimed not to have heard of pensions ...
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ArticleDebbie Lovewell-Tuck: Benchmarking is becoming relevant again
For most benefits professionals, the last few years will have been largely taken up with projects such as auto-enrolment compliance, dealing with the impact of a volatile economic climate and working out how to motivate staff while pay freezes continue. Throughout this time, benchmarking benefits packages is less likely to ...
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ArticleTalkTalk increases share scheme take up
EXCLUSIVE: TalkTalk has increased take up of its employee share plans for 2014.The telecommunications organisation introduced its sharesave scheme, provided by Equiniti in 2010. It has launched a new plan every year since offering both a three and five-year scheme.Prior to the launch of this year’s schemes, some 55% of ...
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ArticleFit for Work service launches
The Fit for Work service was launched yesterday (15 December).Previously known as the Health and Work Service, it offers impartial advice for dealing with long-term absence. Its services include an online library and telephone, email and online support for employers, employees and general practitioners (GPs).The Fit for Work service will ...
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ArticleFirefighters stage further strike over pensions proposals
Firefighters in England are taking further industrial action over pensions today (9 December) following the government’s decision to commence the Parliamentary procedure to implement regulations for a revised pension scheme. The 24-hour walkout began at 9am this morning.After nearly three years of negotiations, firefighters in England are being offered a ...
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ArticleFujitsu to pilot emotional resilience programme
EXCLUSIVE: Fujitsu is to pilot an emotional resilience programme for its 10,000 employees in the UK and Ireland.The technology organisation’s aim is to help support its employees’ mental health, after it identified core issues using benefits data, including absence information, sampling from health screening and data from its private medical ...
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ArticleFuel duty to remain frozen
Autumn Statement 2014: The government has confirmed that fuel duty will continue to remain frozen. Chancellor George Osbourne cancelled the fuel duty increase planned for September in his 2014 Budget.Overall, action on fuel duty since 2011 will save a company car driver around £675 by the end of 2015/16.
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ArticleCompetition in retirement market is not working
A failure by many consumers to shop around or switch provider to get the best annuity deal proves that competition in the retirement market is not working as well as it could be, according to research by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).The regulator’s Retirement income market study, which examined products ...
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ArticleGovernment votes in favour of firefighter pension changes
The government has voted in favour of changes to firefighters’ pensions, which will see them have to work until age 60 and receive increased pension contributions after the government voted in favour of the changes.The measure, which has led to a series of strikes by union members, was passed by ...
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ArticleNewcastle upon Tyne Hospitals increases car plan take up
Newcastle-upon-Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has seen increased take up of its salary sacrifice car scheme.Some 8% of more than 9,600 employees who are eligible for the scheme, which is provided by CPC Drive in partnership with Tusker, have taken up the option to purchase a car.This equates to 645 ...
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Article
Financial education in the workplace: engaged employees better for business
This article has been supplied by our channel sponsor, Foster DenovoBy Darren Laverty, director of sales and marketing at Foster Denovo, the parent company of employee benefit adviser SecondsightIn early October, we released the results of some research (1) we undertook on the theme of workplace financial education.According to the ...
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ArticleAviva and Friends Life finalise merger
Insurance organisations Aviva and Friends Life have finalised the terms of a £5.6 billion merger.The merger will create the UK’s largest insurance and savings business with more than 16 million customers.Aviva first announced the firms were in talks in November 2014.It is expected the merger will generate £225 million of ...
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ArticleQuarter of men agree new parents should share leave
Just under a quarter of men (23%) agree that parents should share parental leave, according to research by Glassdoor.Its 2014 Parental leave survey, which surveyed 1,000 men and 1,000 women under the age of 50, also found that this figure rose to 31% among 18-24 year olds, but fell to ...
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ArticleAgeing workers and economy threaten pensions
Pension schemes are facing a number of challenges due to the combined threats of the economy, the ageing population and a lack of confidence in private pensions, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).Its Pensions outlook report 2014, which summarises the challenges that policymakers face around pension ...
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ArticleActive membership of DC schemes outstrips DB for first time
Active membership of defined contribution (DC) pension schemes outnumbers that of defined benefit (DB) schemes for the first time, according to research by the National Association of Pensions Funds (NAPF).The trade body’s 40th Annual survey, which questioned 250 NAPF fund members, representing 840 pension schemes throughout the UK, found that ...
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Article83% would use flexible-working options
More than three-quarters (83%) of respondents would use flexible-working options if they were made available to them, according to research by the Centre for Economics and Business research (CEBR).The study, commissioned by mobile workplace solutions organisation Citrix, found that 96% of ‘knowledge workers’, which the CEBR defines ad ‘thinking jobs’ ...