All articles by Jennifer Paterson – Page 161
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Article
Sun Chemicals launches voluntary benefits scheme
Sun Chemicals has achieved 50% take up for its voluntary benefits scheme which was introduced for its 1,000 staff on 1 September.The scheme, which is provided by Asperity Employee Benefits, was rolled out under the communications banner ‘Xtra, Xtra, Read All About It!’ in line with the organisation’s primary business, ...
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Article
Ince and Co introduces flexible benefits
International law firm Ince and CO has implemented a new flexible benefits scheme for its 200 UK-based non-partner staff which has introduced dental and international travel insurance for the first time.The scheme, which is provided by Portus Online, was rolled out in November after staff requests for a package that ...
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Article
Ovo Energy sees 80% take up of flexible benefits
Since Ovo Energy introduced a flexible benefits scheme in September, it has achieved a take up of 80% among its nearly 100 staff.As part of its Instant Flex package, which is provided by Benefex, the benefits available in the market were reviewed against Ovo Energy’s demographics and employee feedback.Heather Andrews, ...
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Article
Leasedrive Velo publishes guide to grey fleet management
Leasedrive Velo has published a guide to grey fleet management.Its Essential Guide to Grey Fleet Management looks at the background behind the rise in grey fleets; the legislative considerations to remain on top of duty-of-care obligations; environmental considerations; the financial impact; essential grey fleet guidelines; and ways of reducing grey ...
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Article
Government to launch consultation on flexible parental leave
The Department for Business Innovation and Skills will launch a consultation which will explore proposals for the design of a more flexible system of parental leave.Speaking at an event on contemporary parenting, deputy prime minister Nick Clegg said the government wants the changes to embody:Any new arrangement must absolutely maintain ...
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Analysis
Company car salary sacrifice: watch the risks
If you read nothing else, read this... Common risks with salary sacrifice company cars are around early leavers, parental leave and long-term illness. Employers should also be aware that, when changing to a salary sacrifice scheme, it must be reflected on the employee's contract. Make it clear to staff that ...
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Article
Workplace Options launches mobile phone app
Workplace Options is launching iFindCare, a mobile application that offers a GPS-enabled childcare locator for staff to find and evaluate daycare centres and nanny agencies in their area.The app, which will be available for UK employers in February, has been in use in the US since October 2010 and will ...
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Article
Employees think all staff should have access to company car
Almost two thirds (63%) of employees say company cars should be available to all staff, according to a survey by Lex Autolease.Moreover, 78% of staff drivers think their organisation would be concerned if they drove an 'old banger' for business use.Andrew Hogsden, head of financial consultancy at Lex Autolease, said: ...
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Article
The Phoenix Group updates its flexible benefits package
In its second enrolment period the Phoenix Group’s flexible benefits scheme has seen take up rise from 56% to 74%.†The ‘Flexit’ scheme, which is provided by Vebnet, was originally launched in September 2009 to offer the life and pensions firm’s diverse workforce of 720 employees across four locations more choice.The ...
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Article
Newsquest pays bonus to staff who crossed the picket line
Newsquest has awarded its staff who crossed picket lines at the Southern Daily Echo with a bonus of two days pay.The newspaper’s editor-in-chief Ian Murray informed non-union journalists they would receive an additional day’s pay for working during each of the two recent 48-hour strikes.The two-day strike, which is in ...
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Article
Nest to offer a socially responsible fund option
Trustee members of the National Employment Savings Trust (Nest) Corporation have agreed to offer a fund focussed on investing in a socially responsible manner (SRI).An advert to be published this week in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) invites global equity SRI fund managers to tender for an ...
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Article
Clydesdale and Yorkshire Banks promote payroll giving to staff and customers
Clydesdale and Yorkshire Banks are promoting payroll-giving schemes among their staff and encouraging their customers to donate to charity as well.Workplace Giving is an efficient way for an employee to donate to any charity straight from pay and the only way that a higher rate taxpayer can automatically give an ...
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Article
BT Group cannot raise prices to plug pension deficit
BT Group has been told it cannot increase regulated wholesale prices to plug its pension deficit.Communications regulator Ofcom confirmed on 15 December its decision not to change the way it treats BT’s pension costs when setting regulated wholesale charges for telecoms services, including broadband and landlines.This follows an initial consultation ...
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Article
Increase in maximum compensation for unfair dismissals
The maximum compensation that the Employment Tribunal can award employees for unfair dismissal, and the basis upon which statutory redundancy payments are calculated, will increase from 1 February 2011 through the Employment Rights (Increase of Limits) Order 2010.The increase will not apply in exceptional cases.The following will relate to dismissals ...
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Article
Grant Thornton staff chose Cancer Research UK as official charity
Grant Thornton staff have chosen Cancer Research UK as the firm’s official charity. The charity was voted in as the chosen beneficiary until summer 2012, with staff pledging to raise £125,000 during the period.Offices across the UK were filled with employees supporting the charity by wearing red and donating to ...
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Article
JLT Benefit Solutions and Scottish Widows launch pension product
JLT Benefit Solutions (JLT) has launched a group personal pension (GPP) scheme called RetireSure Essentials which will be administered by Scottish Widows.The scheme has been developed to provide services that are usually typical of larger defined contribution (DC) arrangements available to smaller employers.It comprises scheme governance with annual reporting, an ...
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Article
Kalamazoo Reynolds launches pensions salary sacrifice
Kalamazoo Reynolds has added a salary sacrifice arrangement to its group personal pension (GPP) scheme.Following the launch, which took place in September, membership has increased from 75% to 84%, with 64% of existing pension members increasing their personal contributions to the scheme.The automotive dealership, which is part of the Reynolds ...
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Article
Shilling Communication staff support charity in Nepal
Employees from Shilling Communication have returned home from a charity project in Nepal.The staff spent 10 days working with international anti-poverty agency ActionAid building houses for Nepalese people freed from Kamaiya, a traditional system of bonded labour in Southern Nepal.Kevin Shilling, chief executive officer at Shilling Communication, said: “[Corporate] social ...
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Article
Allied Irish Bank cancels bonus payouts
Allied Irish Bank (AIB) will not pay out bonuses to its top staff.The decision came after a letter from Ireland’s finance minister Brian Lenihan warned the bank that state support was conditional on the non-payment of the bonuses.The board of Allied Irish Banks met on the evening of 13 December ...
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Article
Morgan Lloyd Sipp Services launches two group Sipps
Morgan Lloyd Sipp Services has launched two group self-invested personal pension (Sipp) products – the Morgan Lloyd Directus and the Morgan Lloyd Qualitas.The Directus is a basic group Sipp product offering a value for money alternative with traditional investment opportunities.The Qualitas group Sipp provides a framework in which more pension ...