All articles by System Administrator – Page 73
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Article
Staff stall over DC contributions
Many staff are reluctant to increase their contributions to defined contribution (DC) schemes, despite rising numbers opting to take up such schemes. According to Hewitt Associates' 2006 DC Scheme Survey, two-thirds of open employer-sponsored pension schemes are now DC, compared with 55% a year ago. Take-up rates for DC schemes ...
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Drink firm Constellation Europe's shares mature
Employees at Constellation Europe have benefited from a maturing sharesave scheme and can now join a new one. The American-owned drinks manufacturer, which includes brands such as Hardys wine and Blackthorn cider, launched a sharesave scheme in 2001 which matured on 1 August. Sue Sigrist, HR manager UK, said that ...
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Pensions and healthcare explored at party conferences
Pensions are one issue that will come under the spotlight at the Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat party conferences in September and October this year, at least on the fringes. Although most of the parties were keeping the proposals that will be debated under wraps as Employee Benefits went to ...
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First Choice Holidays offers salary sacrifice to extra staff
First Choice Holidays is to roll out its salary sacrifice benefits package to an additional 500 employees after acquiring several organisations within its activity holiday division. The package, which includes private medical insurance, holiday trading, childcare vouchers and pension contributions, will be in place for all staff from November. Kate ...
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EAT rules on disability case
The Employment Appeals Tribunal (EAT) has ruled that an employer was not required to pay an absent disabled employee full salary once they had exhausted statutory sick pay. In the case of O'Hanlon v HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) the clinically depressed O'Hanlon argued that reducing her to half pay ...
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Britannia Building Society introduces online voluntary scheme
Britannia Building Society has launched an online voluntary benefits package as a precursor to a flexible benefits scheme due to be introduced in 2007. The voluntary benefits scheme, which was rolled out in July for the company's 5,000 staff, is intended to introduce the concept of choice to ease the ...
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Royal London switches voluntary benefits provider
Royal London has launched online total reward statements and switched voluntary benefits providers in a bid to consolidate its benefits information online for its 2,600 staff. The insurance group will follow this with a bikes for work scheme and a relaunch of its childcare voucher scheme in November. Employees will ...
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Legislation - Surgery: Service related benefits
Employer's query:Our employees accrue holiday entitlement and sick pay benefits on an increasing scale up to ten years of service. Will this be unlawful after 1 October?Advice:Because they are linked to time, service-related benefits are indirectly age discriminatory. Despite this, the UK government has decided that all service-related benefits up ...
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Cable & Wireless aligns perks post merger
Cable & Wireless has consolidated its voluntary benefits package following its merger with Energis last year. Both companies previously offered voluntary benefits schemes for staff, which were provided by Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBOS) for Cable & Wireless employees and Lloyds TSB's Bringme for Energis. These have now been brought ...
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Specialist Schools and Academies Trust launch EAP
The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust (SSAT) launched an employee assistance programme (EAP) for its 300 employees on 1 September. Chris Lipscomb, head of HR, said the EAP offered by provider Icas, also includes an online health assessment facility for employees. Once staff have completed these they receive email newsletters ...
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On-demand HR solution tracks and measures employee absence
HR-People has been launched to help HR managers track absence rates amongst employees. The software allows employers to monitor individual employees, and has the capability to record on-line all types of absence and measure the true cost to the business.For more information please go to www.hrsolutions-intl.com
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Many want 2012 pensions date sooner
More than a third (38%) of employers think the government's plans for pensions reform should come into effect earlier than the proposed date of 2012. Yet, 40% of those questioned for Pension perceptions in Britain today by B&CE Benefit Schemes are unconvinced that auto-enrolment is the right move to make.Over ...
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Analysis
Employee Benefits flexible benefits supplement 2006 - Feature: Tax
While the complexities of taxation can seem more than a little off-putting to HR professionals, it is worth getting to grips with the law as the tax-saving advantages of flex are too great to dismiss, says Debbie LovewellCase study: National Grid WirelessArticle in fullNineteenth-century American novelist Ralph Waldo Emerson is ...
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Medicash launches new interactive website
Health insurer Medicash has launched an interactive website which incorporates a number of features aimed at assisting employers. Employers using the website can access details in relation to various plans and can see frequently asked questions that are specific to their needs.For more information please go to www.medicash.org
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Product News - New website calculates the cost to business of sick days
A new website has been created allowing businesses to calculate the extent of sickness absence. The website www.costofabsence.com has been created by Bupa Health Insurance and is using data obtained from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).For more informaton please go to www.bupa.co.uk
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Car smoking ban edges closer
Employers must ensure they have communicated their smoking policies to company car drivers if staff are to avoid proposed penalty fines. Last month, the Department of Health proposed penalty fines of £50 for company car drivers who smoke in a car that is to be passed to another employee later ...
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Article
Henkel runs seminars on age discrimination
Henkel, the household goods, cosmetics and toiletries company, is running seminars for 320 managers and supervisors on the incoming age discrimination legislation. The interactive sessions also cover other changes to employment law including the Information and Consultation Directive, the Working Time Directive, and the Work and Families Bill. Attendees receive ...
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Cushman & Wakefield offers advice sessions
Cushman & Wakefield has introduced free financial advice sessions to help new staff better understand the company's defined contribution pension scheme.The amount the company contributes to the plan depends on employees' seniority, while staff can contribute as much as they wish.The sessions, provided by IFA firm Clarity, are also intended ...
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Product news - Sodexho to roll out reward vouchers
Sodexho will launch its first multi-store retail voucher in late September. The catering and support company has not yet released specific details about which stores the product will cover, but said it will offer access to a wide range of established retail brands. Sodexho will also offer prize draw competitions ...
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Philips launches voucher rewards
Philips Medical Systems has introduced a voucher incentive scheme with rewards of £50 and £300 for staff who go beyond the call of duty. This follows an employee survey, which revealed that while the company was good at providing incentives like yearly bonuses, it was not so good at saying ...