All Article articles – Page 861

  • Article

    University of Lincoln introduces financial education sessions for staff

    2011-08-01T00:00:01Z

    The University of Lincoln is to offer financial education sessions for staff to help them understand and plan for the government's changes to public sector pensions.The university plans to host the sessions, which will teach staff how to manage their finances and retirement savings by making the most of existing ...

  • Article

    Swansea Council switches childcare vouchers provider

    2011-08-01T00:00:01Z

    The City and County of Swansea Council has switched providers of its childcare voucher scheme.The scheme, which is open to its 11,500 employees, allows staff to buy childcare vouchers worth up to £243 a month from their salary pre-tax and national insurance.The council previously had a scheme in place but ...

  • Article

    Wealth at Work research: Employers to offer support during retirement changes

    2011-08-01T00:00:01Z

    The majority (85%) of employers will provide some sort of employer-sponsored support using a combination of communications, financial education and/or advice for staff in response to forthcoming legislative changes, according to the Rethink retirement survey 2011 by Wealth at Work.The removal of the default retirement age (DRA), which will be ...

  • Article

    Perfect Health Insurance launches health cash plan for small employers

    2011-08-01T00:00:01Z

    Perfect Health Insurance has launched a health cash plan aimed at small employers.The plan offers standard cover for dentistry, optical and hospital stays, but also includes new benefits such as cover for hospital car parking of up to £45 per day for friends and family visiting patients in hospital, and ...

  • Article

    MIB Data Solutions research: SMEs stick to outright purchase of company cars

    2011-08-01T00:00:01Z

    Outright purchase remains the preferred form of company car acquisition among small- and medium-sized employers.According to a survey of 1,317 fleet managers by MIB Data Solutions, the vast majority (1,163) preferred to buy company cars outright, while 685 use some form of leasing and 259 do both.Nick Boddington, managing director ...

  • Article

    Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust launches green salary sacrifice car scheme

    2011-08-01T00:00:01Z

    Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust has launched an environmentally friendly salary sacrifice car scheme for its 2,900 employees.The scheme, which is provided by Tusker and procured by CPC, enables staff to make monthly car payments out of their gross salary. CO2 emissions have been capped at 150g/km for cars selected ...

  • Article

    GE Capital research: Company cars grow in importance

    2011-08-01T00:00:01Z

    The importance of company cars as a business tool has increased among employers in the past two years, according to the quarterly Company Car Trends research by GE Capital, Fleet Services.For essential car users, the perceived importance of the company car is now rated on aggregate almost nine out of ...

  • Article

    Consultation on Modern Workplaces: Business groups react to proposals on flexible working and parental leave

    2011-08-01T00:00:01Z

    Business groups react to the government's plans to introduce a new system of flexible parental leave and extend the right to request flexible working.The government’s Consultation on Modern Workplaces, which closed yesterday, proposes that all workers should be given the right to request flexible working, rather than just those who ...

  • Article

    Bright Horizons partners with the NCT

    2011-08-01T00:00:01Z

    Bright Horizons has partnered with the NCT to make materials available to employers to provide employees that are preparing for parenthood. The materials include information packs, courses and newsletter articles.Carole Edmond, managing director of Bright Horizons, said: “We know that so many of our nursery families have already benefited, through ...

  • Article

    Barloworld Handling renews fleet contract

    2011-08-01T00:00:01Z

    Barloworld Handling has renewed its fleet contract with Alphabet for a third consecutive year.The renewed contract, which came after a 10-way re-tendering process, sees Alphabet continue to manage the lift truck distributor's fleet of 650 cars and vans.Alan Thackray, vehicle contract and facility manager at Barloworld Handling, said: “The tender ...

  • Article

    Babel Media increases pension scheme take-up

    2011-08-01T00:00:01Z

    Games and interactive entertainment firm Babel Media has increased pension scheme take-up and reduced annual management charges after introducing a new group personal pension (GPP) scheme for staff.Working in conjunction with Creative Benefits the firm introduced the scheme after closing two pre-existing GPP plans to future accrual. In doing so, ...

  • Article

    Lex Autolease research: Cost of hybrid or electric cars a barrier for employers

    2011-08-01T00:00:01Z

    Four in 10 financial directors would not pay a financial premium to introduce hybrid or fully electric cars to their fleets, according to research by Lex Autolease.The fleet provider, which polled 100 employers across the UK, also found that just over half (53%) would invest in hybrids and electric cars ...

  • Article

    University of Reading auto-enrols staff into new defined contribution pension scheme

    2011-08-01T00:00:01Z

    Following the closure of its final salary pension scheme to new entrants, the University of Reading will auto-enrol all employees over age 22 into a new defined contribution (DC) pension scheme.BlackRock has been appointed to the DC scheme to provide a full proposition of investment funds, administration and member communications.Around ...

  • Article

    Apple Childcare Vouchers expands product offering

    2011-08-01T00:00:01Z

    Apple Childcare Vouchers has expanded its product offering with the launch of Apple Employee Benefits (AEB).In addition to childcare vouchers, it will now provide discounts, health and wellbeing advice, reward and recognition, and salary sacrifice schemes to employers and their staff.Discounts are available on hotels, flights, clothing, insurance, books, gym ...

  • Article

    HMRC wins car allowance tribunal against Total People

    2011-08-01T00:00:01Z

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has overturned a first-tier tribunal decision that found business motoring allowances paid to staff at training firm Total People were exempt from national insurance contributions (NIC).The case, from August 2010, concerned whether the NIC relief for business travel could be used, not only on a ...

  • Article

    Reabur research: Employers do not expect mothers to return after maternity leave

    2011-08-01T00:00:01Z

    Nearly two-thirds (64%) of employers do not expect female employees to return to work after their maternity leave, according to research by Reabur.The survey of almost 2,000 organisations by the online independent HR consultancy also found that almost half (47%) believe this is because of previous experience.Furthermore, 23% of respondents ...

  • Article

    Philips adds electric car to its fleet

    2011-08-01T00:00:01Z

    Philips has added its first electric car to its fleet.The car, provided by LeasePlan, will be used as an onsite pool car, available to all employees for local journeys.Philips will also be installing a charging post at its UK head office, in association with Easit, a sustainable transport initiative.The post ...

  • Article

    Acfo publishes guide to fleet policies

    2011-08-01T00:00:01Z

    Acfo, the organisation for fleet operators, has published a guide to influence fleet and travel policies. The guide, From A to B: the ACFO guide to journey planning, is designed for public, private and voluntary sector organisations to look at how effective, and sustainable, their existing mobility options are.The 28-page ...

  • Article

    Employee Benefits/Worplace Savings Research 2011: Investment

    2011-08-01T00:00:01Z

    Employers are grasping the importance of adequate default funds and ensuring employees understand their investment choices, says Debbie Lovewell†More than three-quarters of respondents that offer a defined contribution (DC) pension scheme include at least one default investment fund for staff who do not choose to make active investment decisions. Some ...

  • Article

    ALD Automotive research: Average CO2 emissions down in company cars

    2011-08-01T00:00:01Z

    The average carbon dioxide emissions of new company cars have dropped to an all-time low of 138.1g per km, according to research by ALD Automotive.That figure compares with an average figure of 142.6g per km in 2010 and 166.8g per km in 2003.The research also found that environmentally friendly cars ...