All articles by Jennifer Paterson – Page 158
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Article
Mercer to launch corporate wrap product
Mercer is to launch a corporate wrap product called Mercer Workplace Savings Solution.The platform will be launched in partnership with Friends Provident, Standard Life and Zurich, each of which is developing its own corporate wrap platform. Mercer's system will guide users through the options and provider best suited to their ...
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Article
KPMG launches defined contribution pensions practice
KPMG has launched a dedicated defined contribution (DC) practice.KPMG DC Solutions will advise organisations on all aspects of DC pensions provision including assistance in the design of the schemes, choosing platform providers, advising on employee communications, and delivering DC governance and investment services.KPMG’s pensions partner, Gurmukh Hayre, will lead the ...
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Article
Westfield Health enhances employer-paid cash plan
Westfield Health has enhanced the quoting system for its employer-paid health cash plans.Its Westfield Mosaic plans now offers a choice of 19 benefits and services, plus free integrated cover for dependent children on core benefits and a complementary BusinessCare benefit for employers, from £1 per employee per week.New additions to ...
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Case Studies
Case study: Ford drives up number of returning mums
Ford Motor Company offers maternity leave of 52 weeks at 100% of pay. All employee benefits, including pension contributions and company car, continue throughout that period. The company, which has 12,000 staff in the UK, won ‘Best for maternity’ in Working Families’ Top Employers awards 2010.Ford operates a buddy system ...
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Article
Equiniti launches online financial education campaign
Equiniti has launched an online financial education campaign that features a cartoon operetta to help the 18 million UK shareholders it serves understand complex financial topics.Its The Big Picture; Hens and Equities operetta will feature a series of short clips with the first covering inflation. Featuring singing chickens, the clip ...
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Article
Incisive Media to introduce income protection and bonus sacrifice
Incisive Media is to introduce an employee-funded voluntary income protection scheme and a bonus sacrifice arrangement.The income protection scheme will be administered by Unum. Emma Cutbill, benefits manager at Incisive Media, said: “We have been interested in introducing an income protection scheme for our staff for the past couple of ...
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Analysis
Benefits can ease mothers back to work
If you read nothing else, read this… Employers can offer a range of perks to entice parents to return to work after a period of parental leave. These benefits include: childcare vouchers and back-up emergency provision; onsite nurseries and discounts at offsite nurseries; ante- and post-natal workshops, sessions or classes; ...
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Case Studies
Case study: NHS Bradford and Airedale District Support Service seeks a work-family balance
NHS Bradford and Airedale District Support Service has a number of schemes that are tailored to support its17,000 staff in achieving a healthy balance between work and family.Its Childcare Support Services won ‘Most effective benefits strategy for working parents and carers’ at the Employee Benefits Awards 2010.Since its programme was ...
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Article
Edenred offers advice on childcare voucher changes
Edenred has put together a downloadable white paper, a podcast and articles to support employers ahead of changes to childcare voucher legislation.From 6 April 2011, only basic-rate taxpayers will receive tax and national insurance relief on up to £55 a week on childcare vouchers. Tax relief will be restricted to ...
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Article
AboveNet rejigs group personal pension
?Fibre optic network provider AboveNet has switched providers for its group personal pension (GPP), set up a pensions advisory committee and removed the three-month service requirement before staff can join the scheme.Employees can now join the GPP on their first day at work as the firm’s first step towards complying ...
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Article
BT pension scheme appoints Paul Spencer chairman
BT has appointed Paul Spencer chairman of the trustee of the BT pension scheme (BTPS).Spencer will succeed Rod Kent who steps down after three years. He will take up the role on 1 March 2011.BTPS has assets under management of around £35 billion and has 330,000 scheme members.Spencer has been ...
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Article
Friends Provident to review with-profits bonus rates
Friends Provident has announced a review of with-profits bonus rates across all of its funds following good investment returns in 2010.The review brings together bonus announcements for Friends Provident, Axa Sun Life and Sun Life Assurance Society following the acquisition of the majority of Axa's UK life business in September ...
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Article
TPR paper supporting DC pensions published
The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has published a discussion paper on how it should support the defined contribution (DC) market in the delivery of good outcomes for savers.TPR is inviting views on how it may be possible to further raise standards in DC provision and so contribute to greater confidence in ...
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Article
Employee resource groups are popular for working parents
Working parents, adoptive parents and staff with eldercare responsibilities are among some of the most prevalent participants in employee resource groups (ERGs).ERGs, which are also known as employee networks and affinity groups, are enjoying a renaissance at some organisations, according to a study by consultancy Mercer ERGs Come of Age: ...
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Article
Henkel appoints Mercer as global actuary
Henkel has appointed Mercer as global actuary to provide services across all of its countries and regions.The German-based organisation with brands in laundry and home care, cosmetics/toiletries and adhesive technologies has 50,000 employees worldwide.Giles Archibald, the senior actuary and consultant on the account for Mercer, said: “Through this appointment, Henkel ...
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Article
The Pensions Trust launches online auto-enrolment tool
The Pensions Trust has launched an online tool that enables employers to access their auto-enrolment staging date.The tool generates a personalised action planner which highlights the key steps an organisation needs to take towards this date and a breakdown of what it needs to put in place before its staging ...
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Article
Government launches consultation on workplace disputes
The Department for Business, Skills and Innovation (BIS) and the Ministry of Justice’s Tribunals Service has launched a public consultation on resolving workplace disputes.The government is seeking views on measures to: Achieve more early resolution of workplace disputes so parties can resolve their own problems, in a way that is ...
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Article
Starbucks awards UK staff £4m worth of shares
Starbucks has given its UK staff shares worth around £4 million as part of the relaunch of its employee share scheme, Bean Stock.The payout follows a thank-you Christmas cash bonus to staff worth £1.5 million.Bean Stock gives Starbucks employees a grant of shares in the business. The programme is now ...
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Article
Nearly half of UK finance sector has received increased bonus
Nearly half (49%) of UK bankers and finance professionals received a bonus increase last year, according to a survey from eFinancialCareers.com.The research, which surveyed 2,511 financial professionals in the UK, US, Hong Kong, Singapore and Australia, found that bonuses levels in London were among the highest in the financial centres ...
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Article
The Assessment and Qualifications Alliance closes final salary pension
The Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA) has closed its final salary pension scheme. The AQA undertook a consultation process with employees and their union representatives, which lasted 74 days.Management at the AQA rejected money-saving proposals put forward by staff unions that would have enabled the final salary pension scheme to ...