All articles by Ian Silvera – Page 10
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Article
Clifford Chance raises pay for trainees and associates
Clifford Chance has increased the salaries of its trainee and associate solicitors.The law firm’s Annual review 2012 showed that newly-qualified (NQ) base remuneration was raised to £63,500, up from £61,500. NQ employees can now reach an annual £76,200 with the maximum bonus.Associates with one year’s post-qualification experience (PQE) have seen ...
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Article
Equal pay consultation paper published
The Government Equalities Office (GEO) has published a consultation paper on the introduction of mandatory equal pay audits.The paper follows on from the 2011 Modern Workplaces: equal pay consultation.From 2014, under the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act, employment tribunals will be able to require employers who are found to have ...
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Article
Whitehall saves £3.4 billion on pay and pensions
The government has saved £3.4 billion by reducing the size of the civil service and reforming civil service pensions, according to a report by the Cabinet Office.The Efficiency and reform 2013/13 summary report revealed that government workforce savings are up by £1.9 billion from £1.5 billion in 2011/12, to £3.4 ...
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Analysis
Motivation schemes can build long-term engagement
IF YOU READ NOTHING ELSE, READ THIS…Motivation schemes can boost productivity and employee engagement.Non-monetary schemes are better at promoting sustainable long-term motivation among employees.Monetary schemes still have a place in motivation, but their scope is limited.Employers can take advantage of social media to create engagement and motivate their employees.Employees that ...
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Case Studies
Asda rewards staff for customer service
The scheme, Asda Stars, operates in 660 locations and is available to 177,000 employees.So far, 68,856 employees have received awards, with 41,828 recognised as ‘unique’ employees for making exceptional efforts.An employee builds up Star points by meeting particular goals, and can then redeem them on a variety of rewards.Jane Earnshaw, ...
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Article
UK employees not saving enough for retirement
The number of employees saving adequately for retirement has hit an all-time low, yet aspirations for pension income have risen, according to research by Scottish Widows.The annual Scottish Widows pensions report, which surveyed 5,200 Britons, revealed that less than half (45%) of those who could and should be preparing financially ...
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Article
HMRC targets minimum wage cheats in Corby
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has targeted job agencies in Corby in a minimum wage crackdown.A three-day operation uncovered a possible £100,000 owed to 3,000 employees in the area.Officers from HMRC and the Department for Business, Innovations and Skills (Bis) visited 34 employment agencies between 28 and 30 May 2013.HMRC ...
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Article
Axa PPP launches employee dental plan
Healthcare insurer Axa PPP Healthcare has launched a dental plan for employers to provide to staff.The plan offers a choice of six levels of cover of staged reimbursements per treatment.Employees will have telephone access to dental nurses, and can also obtain information about how to maintain good dental health through ...
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Article
Lack of understanding leads to lack of pensions saving
Half (50%) of respondents believe the main reason people do not save in pension schemes is because they do not know what retirement income their pension will give them, according to research by pensions and benefits consultancy Hymans Robertson.The research, which surveyed 101 UK employers, also found that:90% of respondents ...
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Article
Income drop expected for third of retirees
Retirees can expect their regular income to fall by 40%, according to research by annuity provider Partnership.Its analysis of HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) data also revealed the regions where retirees are most likely to see their income drop, with London (-48%), the east of England (-40%) and the south ...
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Article
DC pension schemes offering wider investment choices
Defined contribution (DC) pension scheme investors are now being offered a wider choice of funds, according to research by the Pensions Regulator (TPR).Its Scheme governance survey 2013 found that:The proportion of schemes offering just one investment fund has fallen from 32% in 2009 to 18% in 2012.In the past year, ...
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Article
Employers consider scrapping childcare voucher schemes
More than a third (36%) of respondents that currently offer a childcare voucher scheme are considering scrapping it before the new system is finalised or available, according to research by Jelf Employee Benefits.The research, which questioned 124 organisations, follows the government’s proposal to introduce a new childcare voucher system, which ...
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Article
Time to pimp your company cars
Something for the weekend…new ways for fleet managers to both control costs and ‘upgrade’ cars.Fleet managers may be feeling the eco-(un)friendly pinch with the recently introduced company car fuel tax level and a ultra low emission company car tax.So maybe they could take tips from an extravagant eco-friendly Leicester man ...
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Article
Working mothers need more career support
Working mothers need more career support from their employers, according to research by Santander.The research, which surveyed more than 2,000 women, found that one-third (33%) of those returning to work after starting a family said that the time away had not affected their career progression.The research also found that 26% ...
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Article
PPF compensation cap level to be increased
Pension scheme members whose employers go bust before reaching their scheme’s normal pension age will receive some relief after the pensions minister unveiled new rules on compensation paid by the the Pension Protection Fund (PPF).Steve Webb has announced his intention to increase the compensation cap for longer-serving members by 3% ...
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Article
Working Families launches campaign to support staff with disabled children
Working Families has launched a campaign calling for changes from government, local authorities, employers and support services to help parents of disabled children combine work and care. The Working On campaign’s proposals include:A new form of adjustment leave to give parents short-term time off work during a disability diagnosis or ...
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Article
NAPF calls for more support for prospective retirees
Prospective employees are not getting enough support with choosing an annuity, according to the National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF).The Supporting savers at retirment report, which looked into employer advice and the brokerage market used by employers in the private sector with staff in defined contribution (DC)pension schemes, highlighted a ...
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Article
Standard Life and Punter Southall launch auto-enrolment product for SMEs
Standard Life and Punter Southall Defined Contribution Consulting (PSDCC) have teamed up to provide an auto-enrolment product for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).The agreement allows PSDCC to offer SMEs Standard Life’s Group Flexible Retirement plans as an off-the-shelf auto-enrolment product.Employers will receive:Access to Standard Life’s auto-enrolment tools.Access to online resources ...
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Article
Opt out rules upset Barbon's auto-enrolment plan
EXCLUSIVE: Barbon Insurance will postpone the date on which it automatically enrols staff into its pension scheme in order to comply with the Pensions Act 2008 on opting out.The employer’s staging date is 1 November 2013 and it was hoping to use its benefits window between August to September in ...
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Article
SAP to outsource benefits system ahead of auto-enrolment
EXCLUSIVE: SAP is to outsource its employee benefits system to enable it to cope with its pensions auto-enrolment duties.The technology organisation, which will reach its staging date in September 2013, made the decison to switch from an in-house benefits system to one provided by Capita Employee Benefits, following its annual ...