Your quick-read round up of the reward and benefits stories appearing in the press in the past seven days.The headlines you might have missed between 7-14 May 2015.Firms tell gay couples: Wed or lose your benefitsWSJ Business: Amid push to make same-sex unions legal, some employers tell gay workers they must marry to keep coverage for partners. Read storyThree-quarters of bankers not happy with bonusWorkplace Savings & Benefits: Only a quarter of bankers are happy with their annual bonus despite receiving more than £10bn collectively. Read storyWorking class actors earning £10,000 less than middle class peersHR Grapevine: The study by Goldmsiths University and London School of Economics surveyed 400 actors and found that just ten per cent came from working class backgrounds while 73% had parents in professional or managerial jobs. Read storyCo-Operative employees to receive 8.5% pay riseEmployee Benefits: More than 60,000 Co-Operative employees will see rates of pay increase by at least 8.5% over the next two years after a pay settlement was agreed. Read storyCompliance top issue driving DC pensionsEmployee Benefits: More than half (56%) of respondents say compliance with legislation is their top issue driving their defined contribution (DC) pensions provision, according to research by Towers Watson. Read storyLaurus Development launches employee ownership trustEmployee Benefits: As part of its move from the public to the private sector, the qualification and learning provider to the justice sector is now 25% owned by its employees. Read storyRetiring DB members to receive transfer quotes and financial adviceWorkplace Savings & Benefits: The poll, carried out at KPMG events, also found that a third of schemes planned to offer partial transfers, and many were exploring options to improve advice and guidance in response to new retirement flexibilities. Read storyLufthansa Group pension deficit reaches €10.2bnEmployee Benefits: The deficit of the airline’s scheme reached €10.2 billion (£7.4 billion) at 31 March according to the group’s first quarter earnings report. Read story34% concerned about work-related stressEmployee Benefits: Just over a third (34%) of respondents are concerned about work-related stress, according to research by health and safety consultancy Arinite. Read storySainsbury's closes deficit after strong asset returnsPensions Expert: Sainsbury’s Pension Scheme has reduced its deficit by £28m, despite low interest rates and a fall in the real discount rate, as many schemes struggle to control their funding levels. Read storySamsung adds new perks to flex and revamps communicationsEmployee Benefits: The technology organisation has also introduced new communication techniques to promote the new benefits available, as well as its annual flex window. Read storyEmirates staff receive bonus worth nine weeks’ payEmployee Benefits: Emirates has awarded its 84,000 staff globally a bonus payment worth nine-weeks’ pay as part of its profit share scheme, after the airline posted its second ever highest annual profit. Read storyBasic pay expected to grow 1.8% in coming yearEmployee Benefits: Basic pay is expected to grow by 1.8% in the coming year, down from 2% in the previous quarter, according to research by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). Read storyNationwide increase in workplace benefits satisfactionWorkplace Savings & Benefits: The majority of employees across the country are happy with their workplace benefits - though those in the south are more content. Read storyClear disconnect' in employer mental health supportWorkplace Savings & Benefits: According to a Bupa survey released at the start of Mental Health Awareness Week, half of the UK's workers have never been asked one-to-one about stress, depression or anxiety at work. Read storyEuro regulator launches stress test for DB and DC schemesProfessional Pensions: The European pensions regulator has launched a stress test to look at the impact of a market crash or longevity shock on defined benefit (DB) and defined contribution (DC) schemes. Read storyIain Duncan Smith remains as work and pensions secretary Professional Pensions: A former leader of the Tory party, he will be responsible for overseeing £12bn in welfare cuts at the Department for Work and Pensions. Read storyRos Altmann confirmed as pensions ministerMoney Marketing: Prior to the election Altmann said she would be minister responsible for consumer protection and education. Read storyHertfordshire County Council uses rehab benefits to control absenceEmployee Benefits: Hertfordshire County Council aims to improve employee absence rates by offering rehabilitation benefits to all 10,000 employees. Read storyNumbers stack up for UK accountants as bonuses and pay growWorkplace Savings & Benefits: More than three quarters (76%) of accountants expect to see their salaries increase further while bonus pools are expected to top £1.2bn. Read storyBetfred offers staff short-term loansEmployee Benefits: Betting firm Betfred is offering short-term loans of up to £1,000 per year for its 10,000 employees. Read storyIncome protection take up could treble if part funded by employersEmployee Benefits: Its UK employee benefit trends study, which surveyed 500 employees and 300 employers, also found that take up of life insurance could potentially rise from 23% to 59%. Read storyeBay shareholders vote against release of pay gap informationHR Grapevine: Shareholders of online auction company ebay have voted against the release of infromation on the company's pay gaps when it comes to gender. Read storyLloyds shareholders urged to vote against CEO's payHR Grapevine: Lloyds Banking Group shareholders have been called upon to veto a “highly-excessive” £11.5million pay packet for CEO Antonio Horta-Osorio. Read storyBritish Gas appeals holiday pay decisionEmployee Benefits: British Gas has lodged an appeal with the Employment Appeal Tribunal over what elements of commissionable pay fall within the calculation of holiday pay. Read storyHighest pay rises for four yearsWorkplace Savings & Benefits: According to the Office for National Statistics, average regular pay (excluding bonuses) for March 2015 was £460 per week before tax and other deductions. Read storySimplyhealth sells PMI business to Axa PPPWorkplace Savings & Benefits: Simplyhealth has sold its private medical insurance (PMI) business and its administration to Axa PPP healthcare, subject to regulatory approval. Read storyOne in five DC schemes to offer flexible drawdownWorkplace Savings & Benefits: Almost a fifth of defined contribution (DC) pension schemes will offer flexible drawdown as a result of the freedom and choice reforms, found a Linklaters study. Read storyNew research reveals staff earnings for toilet and coffee breaksHR Grapevine: The average British employee earns £746.06 on the loo and £539.53 enjoying a cuppa every year, new research shows. Read storyNetwork Rail staff reject pay deal Employee Benefits: The rail operator had proposed to make a one-off lump sum payment of £500 this year. Salaries would then rise each year from 2016 to 2019 in line with the retail prices index level of inflation. Read storyNext could face legal claims over Sunday overtime decisionPersonnel Today: Retail chain Next could face unfair dismissal or even age discrimination claims after forcing employees who work on a Sunday to give up their overtime. Read storyJudges rule UK pensioners can recover 71% on claims against NortelProfessional Pensions: Judges in the US and Canada have ruled Nortel’s assets of $7bn (£4.5bn) should be equally distributed among its creditors, in what lawyers say is a victory for UK pensioners. Read storyHere's how America's leading tech companies treat new mothers DCInno: In honor of Mother’s Day and mothers everywhere, DC Inno reached out the "10 best tech companies to work for in 2015”. Read storyWhy salary sacrifice schemes are set to explode Mobile Today: After announcing deals with John Lewis and Morrisons, distributor Exertis predicted that sales of its salary sacrifice schemes would soar by 300% in 2015, while employee benefits firm Personal Group acquired MVNO Shebang to bolster the company’s salary sacrifice capabilities. Read storyWhy are British businesses so bad at onboarding staff?REB: Over the past few weeks, I have had a number of conversations about onboarding, in particular in relation to employee benefits. Read story
