All articles by Katrina McKeever – Page 5
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Tesco staff given a day's paid leave as Christmas thank you
Tesco employees are to receive a day’s paid leave and additional discounts on their in-store shopping as a reward for their hard work during the busy Christmas trading period. All 268,065 employees across the stores, head office and distribution centres, will get a day’s paid leave to use as their ...
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Government tackles the pay gap in Equality Bill
The government has announced plans to address the gender pay gap during the state opening of Parliament, through measures contained in the Equality Bill.Introduced during the Queen's Speech, the bill which is is designed to strengthen and consolidate nine existing anti-discrimination laws, increase transparency and help tackle the gender pay ...
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The benefits of salary sacrifice around pension contributions
Pensions salary sacrifice is still going strong, but what will forthcoming reforms mean for plans, asks Katrina McKeeverTo read the full Employee Benefits Voluntary Benefits and Salary Sacrifice 2008 supplement, Click hereMain Article:Pension contributions offered through salary sacrifice remains a popular benefit, particularly as employers look for ways to make ...
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Aligning voluntary benefits with corporate social responsibilty
Greater awareness of ethical issues is pushing employers to align voluntary benefits with a corporate social responsibility strategy, says Katrina McKeeverMany employers have begun to capitalise on the growing awareness of ethical business practices by adopting a corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy. This can help to offset any criticism the ...
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Analysis
Employers must avoid Big Brother approach to employee health
Employers should try to look after employees' health, but must not seem like Big Brother, says Katrina McKeeverFrom lunchtime weight-loss clinics to smoking cessation sessions and blood-pressure monitors linked to computers, some employers have expanded their health and wellbeing benefits far beyond the traditional approach of providing private medical insurance ...
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Analysis
Employers should inform staff of pension investment options amid stock market volatility
Stock market volatility may be cause for concern for member of DC†pension schemes, so employers must ensure that they are kept informed about their investment options, says Katrina McKeeverA common gripe among employers is that staff often fail to engage with their defined contribution (DC) pensions provision, particularly when it ...
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DB pensions move into surplus with £38bn increase in funding positions
The funding positions for defined benefit pensions improved by a record £38 million in November, helping to move the schemes into surplus.The Aon200 Index, which tracks the funding position of the 200 largest privately sponsored pension funds, shows the overall funding position went from a £15 billion deficit at the ...
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Zurich personalises flexible benefits communications
Zurich Financial Services has introduced personalised benefits booklets containing total reward statements to help communicate its flexible benefits scheme.It has also launched two new flex options to boost interest in the scheme: a retail discount card and a tax-efficient bus pass that employees can purchase through salary sacrifice.The organisation has ...
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Kent County Council to pilot online total reward statements
Kent County Council hopes to introduce interactive total reward statements to improve employee engagement.The statements, a first for the local authority, will be made available to staff online and will enable them to see the total value of their salary and benefits package, including pension and the amount they save ...
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Employers set to take part in personal accounts trial
Key employers are being lined up to pilot personal accounts ahead of their introduction in 2012, according to industry experts.An insider said large employers that are likely to implement personal accounts once auto-enrolment and compulsory employer contributions begin in 2012 are being hand-picked to take part in a trial.Retail has ...
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Celerant introduces GPP and flexible benefits scheme
Celerant Consulting has overhauled its benefits package by launching a group personal pension (GPP) for UK staff and a flexible benefits scheme.It has also introduced a salary sacrifice arrangement around pension contributions into the GPP.The process management company, which employs 120 UK staff, will contribute between 3% and 20% of ...
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Extension to flexible working confirmed
The government has confirmed it will press ahead with plans to extend the right to request flexible working hours to 4.5 million extra people.However the Confederation of British Industry has expressed concern at the timing of the changes, which come into effect in April 2009.The extension allows all parents with ...
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Lloyds TSB Autolease launches online fleet calculators
Lloyds TSB Autolease has launched three free online calculator tools to help employers manage fleet costs.The calculators each focus on one area of fleet management, covering fuel bills, cash allowance takers and whole life cover costs.Fleet managers input headline figures in each category to work out the estimated annual cost ...
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HMRC announces revised advisory business mileage rates
HM Revenue and Customs has published new advisory business mileage fuel rates for company vehicles to reflect a 5% fall in petrol prices since the rates were last reviewed in July 2008.The new values are operational from 1 January 2009 for tax, national insurance contribution(NIC) and VAT purposes and offer ...
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Transport workers have lowest sickness absence rate
Train drivers, pilots and air traffic controllers are the least likely to take a day off ill, according to latest figures on sickness absence from the Office for National Statistics.The Economic and Labour Market Review found that transport associate professionals have a sickness absence rate of just 0.8% in the ...
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Conservatives hint at closing public sector final salary pensions
The Conservative Party leader David Cameron has hinted that the public sector's final salary pension scheme could be closed and workers moved into a defined contribution arrangement if the party is voted in to government.Speaking to the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, Cameron said: "My vision over time is to ...
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Alcatel Lucent launches cycle to work
Alcatel-Lucent has added a salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme to its flexible benefits offering for 2009.The global communications firm introduced the offering to 1,500 UK based employees in response to feedback on benefits.Richard Tyler, compensation, benefits and HRIS manager, said: “It is a green initiative and we now feel ...
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Employers told salary sacrifice is worthwhile
Employers have been told that it is worthwhile offering tax-efficient benefits via salary sacrifice as this provides savings on their national insurance contributions that can be used to help fund a flexible benefits scheme.Presenting a case study on Citigroup at the Employee Benefits Flexible Benefits Senate on Aligning flexible benefits ...
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Pre-Budget Report: New higher rate tax band announced
The government announced a new higher rate tax band in today's pre-Budget Report along with a surprise increase in national insurance contributions (NIC) to be phased in by 2011.The new 45% tax rate will hit the top 1% of earners, with incomes above £150,000, from April 2011.Chancellor Alistair Darling also ...
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Pre-Budget Report: NI changes will boost salary sacrifice
The Chancellor, Alistair Darling, has announced an increase in employer and employee national insurance contributions (NICs) of 0.5% that will take effect from 2011 and which could have the long-term impact of boosting employer interest in salary sacrifice arrangements.Graham Farquhar, head of global employment at Ernst and Young, said: "The ...