News – Page 52
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ArticleBritish Gas workers strike over changes to pay and conditions
More than 7,000 workers at British Gas have staged the first of three planned four-day strikes today in protest over its ‘fire and rehire’ policy that sees staff having to accept pay cuts and cuts to benefits.According to the GMB union, which is coordinating the strikes, British Gas owner Centrica ...
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ArticleKavitha’s keynote: The proof is in the pay packet
Last week, I mentioned that many employers had been forced to make tough decisions in order to stay in business as a result of Covid-19 (Coronavirus), including reducing the pay packet of individuals at their organisations and consequently pushing some staff into serious financial difficulty.Indeed, as we reported earlier this ...
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ArticleBus drivers vote to strike over fire and rehire plans
Bus drivers working for Manchester-based operator Go North West have overwhelmingly voted to strike over claims its ‘fire and rehire’ policy will leave them worse off.The vote for industrial action comes after the Go North West sent ‘notice of termination of your employment’ letters to workers, asking them to rejoin ...
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ArticleGovernment suspends pay gap reporting enforcement
The government appears to have indicated it is suspending enforcement of gender pay gap reporting for this year.In a BBC news report on Tuesday 9 February, Gillian Keegan MP, minister for Apprenticeships and Skills, confirmed that while it would be "encouraging" employers to continue filing their gender pay gap reports, ...
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Article67% of employees on low pay see salary cut due to pandemic
More than two-thirds (67%) of full-time, below-living-wage employees said their pay had been lowered for reasons related to the pandemic over the past year, according to a new report by The Living Wage Foundation.Life On Low Pay, a new report by The Living Wage Foundation, has revealed the depressing plight ...
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ArticleEmployees unaware of basic pension facts
Research by consumer watchdog Which? has found most employees are still in the dark about the most basic of pension facts – even though greater numbers do know how they can cash their pension pots in.The poll, conducted among 2,000 workers, revealed that only 38% could correctly identify 55 as ...
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Article100,000 NHS staff now have early access to wages
More than 100,000 NHS staff across seven trusts are now able to have early access to their earned and extra shifts pay, after they joined Allocate Instant Pay by Wagestream.The deal means workers at trusts including Chelsea & Westminster Hospital, Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Trust, Liverpool Heart & Chest Hospital and ...
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ArticleCare home staff risk lives without proper sick pay
Care home workers are putting residents' lives at risk by being forced to work because they are still not given full pay when they are ill.Trade union Unison reported that it had been contacted by numerous staff who say they are only offered statutory sick pay (£96 per week) instead ...
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ArticleFinancial impact of pandemic worst for low-paid workers
Research by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) into household income reductions caused by Covid-19 (Coronavirus) has revealed low-paid workers have suffered the most, with half having experience a loss of income during the pandemic, compared to 29% of high earners.Commissioned as part of its submission to government about what next ...
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ArticleBank of America rolls out thank-you awards
A Bank of America memo has revealed staff at the organisation received enhanced pay and shares perks as a thank-you for their efforts during 2020.Coming on the back of its full-year financial results, chairman and chief executive Brian Moynihan told staff: “Teammates were called upon to address unprecedented challenges." He ...
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ArticleStena U-turns on sick pay cuts
Ferry company Stena has bowed to pressure, announcing an improved sick pay policy for staff that substantially improves upon what was originally put forward last November.Its pre-Christmas proposal would have put workers on £95.85 per week statutory sick pay (SSP) for the first to fifth week of illness, before moving ...
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ArticleKavitha’s keynote: Employee appreciation has never been more important
As the effects of the Covid-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic continue to be felt across the world, many employers are being forced to furlough staff, reduce pay or implement job cuts in a bid to stay in business.Meanwhile, it is likely that remaining employees at these organisations are facing personal struggles of ...
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ArticleCambridge University becomes a living wage employer
Cambridge University is now an accredited living wage employer, with its new ‘Living Wage Commitment’ meaning staff at the historic academic institution will receive a minimum hourly pay rate of £9.50 in the UK or £10.85 in London.Eilís Ferran, pro-vice-chancellor at University of Cambridge, said: “University of Cambridge staff are ...
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ArticleUnilever promises all suppliers will pay a living wage by 2030
British multinational consumer goods organisation Unilever has pledged all of its suppliers will pay their employees a living wage by the end of the decade.The commitment, unveiled as part of a wider renewal of its social responsibility standards, will see the business insist that all workers of companies in its ...
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ArticleFurlough forces millions to delay retirement plans
Millions of workers face delayed retirement due to being put on furlough and its impact on pay, according to a study by investment firm Fidelity International.The research found that nearly four-in-10 workers surveyed (38%), have said they will have to put back their retirement date by around two-and-a-half years.According to ...
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ArticleGreene King relaunches employee support fund
Pub chain Greene King has announced plans to relaunch its Covid-19 (Coronavirus) Emergency Support Fund, which is designed to give hard-pressed team members financial assistance.The fund, which was initially in place between from March-June last year, helped distribute £650,000 in grants to employees. The grants enabled financially-pressed workers to access ...
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ArticleEXCLUSIVE: Heineken UK launches workplace savings tool for staff
EXCLUSIVE: Brewing organisation Heineken UK has introduced a workplace savings benefit to employees to support their financial wellbeing.The employer partnered with workplace savings provider Cushon to give staff the opportunity to save regularly into an individual savings account (Isa), with the money automatically deducted from their salary each month. Available ...
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ArticleEXCLUSIVE: 35% of organisations provide financial education to all employees
Just over a third (35%) of organisations provide financial education for all employees, a two percentage point drop year on year, according to research by Employee Benefits.The Employee Benefits Pensions research 2020, which surveyed 94 pension strategy decision-makers, found that although it has decreased slightly, this figure is still much ...
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ArticleKeep up to date with the Spending Review 2020
Chancellor Rishi Sunak will deliver his Spending Review speech on Wednesday 25 November 2020.He is expected to provide information on further plans to stabilise the UK economy and help organisations deal with the financial ramifications of the Covid-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic.Stay tuned to the Employee Benefits website for all the latest ...
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ArticleCapita gives 45,000 employees early access to pay
Professional services and business process outsourcing organisation Capita has introduced a personal finance app to support the financial wellbeing of its 45,000 employees.The organisation, which partnered with financial wellbeing app Level, will give employees the chance to access their pay early. In the coming weeks, UK employees at Capita will ...