All articles by Viola Caon
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Article
Fair Care launches smaller-scale bikes-for-work scheme
EXCLUSIVE: Fair Care has launched a version of its bikes-for-work scheme for smaller employers.In its Instant Scheme, staff register online and their employer pays for their chosen bicycle using a debit or credit card. The cost is reclaimed from the worker via a salary sacrifice arrangement and the employee receives ...
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Article
Interview with Francis O'Mahony, head of employee share plans and share registration at BT Group
When Francis O’Mahony is not indulging in his love of vintage cars and fine wine, he is focused on his wide-ranging remit as head of employee share plans and share registration at BT Group.O’Mahony was named ‘Employee benefits specialist of the year’ at the 2012 Employee Benefits Awards in May ...
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Analysis
The latest changes to auto-enrolment legislation
If you read nothing else, read this… Auto-enrolment legislation has undergone several changes since it was announced in the Pensions Act 2008. The qualifying earnings threshold for staff to be eligible for auto-enrolment has risen from £5,000 to £8,105. More flexibility around contribution levels has also been granted for employers ...
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Article
Shilling Communication launches auto-enrolment product
Shilling Communication has launched an auto-enrolment communications product, to help employers with the administrative burden of auto-enrolment.The product can be used by organisations of all sizes, but is particularly targeted at large employers, which have a large annual turnover or a high number of new joiners per annum.The product is ...
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Article
Southampton Football Club moves payroll system online
Southampton Football Club has brought its payroll system online, after it identified its payroll department was spending 25% of its time manually inputting employee information.The system, provided by Auto Time Solutions, records staff hours, then imports the data so staff are paid accurately and any overtime payments are also administered.Karen ...
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Article
Johnson Matthey increases additional voluntary contributions and bonus sacrifice by 350%
Johnson Matthey has seen a 350% increase in employees sacrificing their annual bonus to pay 1% in additional voluntary contributions (AVCs) into their pension scheme.The increase followed the launch of a personalised newsletter, which was sent out to all 3,500 active members of the global chemicals and precious metals firm’s ...
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Article
Sodexo Motivation Solutions adds WH Smith to voucher network
Sodexo Motivation Solutions has added WH Smith to its SayShopping Pass network, which offers access to vouchers for more than 12,000 UK retailers.Employers can offer staff access to the pass as part of a voluntary benefits scheme or a recognition programme.The SayShopping Pass, which is a multi-store voucher, can now ...
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Article
FirstGroup staff take advantage of voluntary benefits scheme
EXCLUSIVE: More than 5,000 staff have registered for FirstGroup’s voluntary benefits scheme since it was launched in April.This has resulted in a spend that is approaching £500,000, as well as £32,000 worth of savings among staff taking part. The first two days after the launch saw 2,048 registrations and an ...
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Article
EXCLUSIVE: East Thames Group staff log in to online perks portal
About half of the staff at social landlord East Thames Group have registered with the new online benefits portal it launched in April.Available benefits include discounted gym membership, childcare vouchers, bikes for work, and health and wellbeing perks.East Thames Group also uses its Benefit Select portal to supply information to ...
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Analysis
Pension schemes prominent in Brazil
If you read nothing else, read this… Brazil’s pensions regime is considered by many actuaries to be one of the most sophisticated in the world. Just 30% of Brazil’s private pension provision is defined benefit (DB), yet these schemes represent about 70% of pension assets under management. Employers ...
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Analysis
Using benefits to support employees with sports-related injuries
If you read nothing else, read this… Most large employers offer some level of support to help staff lead a healthy life, ranging from gym membership to charity sports events. Employees are typically expected to take responsibility for their own health and safety when taking part in work-related sports activities. ...
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Article
More than half of employees are unaware of auto-enrolment
More than half of all employees are unaware that their employer will have to auto-enrol them into an occupational pension, according to research by Hymans Robertson.The research found that 51% of employees did not know about auto-enrolment and of those that were aware, almost half said that they had not ...
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Article
Forth Ports Group appoints pensions actuarial and investment consultancy
Forth Ports Group has appointed Punter Southall to provide a range of actuarial and investment consultancy services for its defined benefit (DB) pension scheme.The scheme has approximately 2,500 members and assets of around £250 million.The Scottish ports group, which comprises ports in Grangemouth, Dundee, Leith, Rosyth, Methil and Burntisland, conducted ...
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Article
Low Pay Commission launches consultation on the national minimum wage
The Low Pay Commission (LPC) has launched a public consultation to obtain views on the operation of the national minimum wage (NMW).The consultation is part of a wider evidence-gathering exercise, following the government’s publication of LPC's remit for this year.The remit has requested that LPC consider a number of aspects ...
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Article
AWD Chase de Vere partners with accountancy firm to provide auto-enrolment advice
Independent financial advisory firm AWD Chase de Vere has entered into a partnership with the Welsh accountancy firm Ktsowensthomas (KTS).AWD Chase de Vere will provide independent financial advice to employers working with KTS, including investment and pension advice and strategies to prepare for, and implement, auto-enrolment.Stephen Kavanagh, chief executive at ...
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Article
Hermes Fund Managers accredited as living wage employer
Boutique fund manager Hermes has been accredited as a living wage employer.Hermes Fund Managers, which employs over 400 staff in London, joins a group of 100 accredited living wage employers in the UK.As an accredited employer, Hermes Fund Managers ensures that all employees are paid the living wage and above, ...
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Article
Opus Energy launches workplace wellbeing scheme
Opus Energy has launched a workplace wellbeing scheme, which is aimed at increasing the overall mental and physical wellbeing of its 410 employees.The scheme, Opus Energise, will offer:An online health and wellbeing information portal.Quarterly health challenges, starting with a pedometer team competition.Health screenings and advice.Access to an occupational health programme.A ...
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Article
HMRC confirms salary sacrifice pension schemes will work for auto-enrolment
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has confirmed that salary sacrifice pension schemes will meet the requirements of auto-enrolment.Previously employees entering into a salary sacrifice arrangement for pension contributions could not easily revert to their higher salary.This was generally taken to mean that employees could not opt out within 12 months, ...
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Article
Canada Life adds a new medical-opinion service to its group risk products
Canada Life Group Insurance has added a new medical-opinion service from Best Doctors to its group income protection and group critical illness products.The service called Ask the expert will provide policy holders with access to the opinions of more than 50,000 medical experts.†The findings are shared with the individual within ...
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Article
Asda employees set to share £50.9 million when sharesave scheme matures
Employees at Asda are set to pocket £50.9 million when the supermarket’s next three-year sharesave scheme matures. This year’s payout, is the biggest on record for employees, and those that have saved £50 a month are expected to receive more than than £2,808, which represents a £1,000-plus gain on their ...