At a glance: reward and benefits headlines this week 15-21 December 2017
The headlines you might have missed between 15-21 December
50% think collective DC pensions schemes are not a suitable DB replacement
Employee Benefits: Half (50%) of respondents think that collective defined contribution (DC) pension schemes are not a suitable replacement for defined benefit (DB) arrangements. Read story
Alex M Adamson gains living wage accreditation
Employee Benefits: Sheriff office and debt collection agency Alex M Adamson has been accredited as a living wage employer by the Living Wage Foundation. Read story
82% would like deadline to join childcare voucher schemes extended
Employee Benefits: More than four-fifths (82%) of employer respondents would like to see the joining deadline for childcare voucher schemes extended beyond April 2018, according to research by Jelf Employee Benefits. Read story
BT Pension Scheme to bring admin back in-house; Accenture partnership ended early
Professional Pensions: The £49bn, 300,000-member BT Pension Scheme (BTPS) is to bring its administration back in-house after agreeing to end its third-party contract with Accenture three years into an eight year contract. Read story
Bus company to pay more than £30,000 after AE failure
Professional Pensions: Stotts Tours and its managing director Alan Stott will be ordered to pay over £30,000 for their failure to set up a pension scheme for their staff. Read story
EU stress test: UK DB schemes fare worst under 'double-hit' shock scenario
Professional Pensions: Stephanie Baxter explores the results of the European regulator's assessment of resilience of DB schemes in adverse market scenarios. Read story
AE review: Lower earnings limit scrapped and 18-year-olds eligible from mid-2020s
Professional Pensions: The government has set out plans to scrap the auto-enrolment (AE) lower earnings limit and extend the programme to 18-year-olds, but not until the mid-2020s. Read story
Wellbeing at work – trend predictions
Incentive and Motivation: Evan Davidge, Director of The Wellbeing Leader and Total Reward & Wellbeing expert for Healthia provides his top wellbeing at work trend predictions for 2018 and talks of a ‘second wellbeing revolution’. Read story
Employees more likely to work for employers with clearly labelled benefits
Reward: According to research from Canada Life Group Insurance, 85% of employees are more likely to work for an employer who offers clearly labelled workplace benefits. Read story
Queen's 'penny-pinching' staff Christmas gift serves HR lesson
HR Grapevine: Around this time of year, many employees look forward to the gifts that grateful employers feel fit to bestow upon them - whether it’s a Christmas party, a small box of chocolates or even a free drink at the local bar. Read story
Real wages and self-employment fall across UK as ‘employment engine begins to splutter’
People Management: ‘Boosting pay packets should be a priority for the government – not a side issue,’ says TUC. Read story
Minimum auto-enrolment age to be lowered
HR Magazine: The proposals will cost employers an estimated extra £1.4 billion a year. Read story
AE review: Welcome reforms not due until mid-2020s
Pensions Expert: The government will introduce a package of measures to address issues with auto-enrolment, but questions remain over multiple jobholders and the self-employed, while the timescale has drawn criticism. Read story
AE review 2017: 12 million under-saving but majority saving more than minimum
Professional Pensions: DWP analysis reveals that 12 million workers are currently under-saving but reveals majority of employees and employers are contributing at a higher rate than AE minimum. Read story
AE reform's 'lethargic' pace to create 'lost generation' - Steve Webb
Professional Pensions: The timeline for implementing DWP proposals under the 2017 automatic enrolment (AE) review is "shockingly lethargic", Royal London director of policy Steve Webb has said. Read story
Goodwill Needs Some Thought
Reward: As Christmas creeps up on us once again, Kimberley Dondo asks how employers can reward and recognise their staff during the festive season. Read story
Government may scrap Working Time Regulations, reports claim
People Management: Move would allow employers to override right to holiday and rest breaks with potential ‘serious consequences’. Read story
PPF confirms levy determination for 2018/19
Professional Pensions: The Pension Protection Fund has confirmed its levy determination for 2018/19 - fixing the levy estimate at £550m. Read story
Toys R Us restructuring 'could fail unless it pays '£9m pension bill’
Professional Pensions: Toys R Us may have to pay around £9m into its defined benefit (DB) scheme so its restructuring deal can be agreed by the Pension Protection Fund (PPF), according to reports. Read story
Government gender pay gap revealed
HR Magazine: The government has revealed the gender pay gap in the Civil Service, noting that it compares favourably to both the public sector as a whole and the private sector. Read story
Holiday pay: Beware the incorrect employment status
HR Magazine: The possibility of employers facing sizeable claims for unpaid holiday pay from wrongly classified workers has increased. Read story
EHRC: Publish your gender pay gap or face an investigation or fines
Personnel Today: Companies that fail to comply with their gender pay gap reporting duties could face “unlimited” fines and convictions, according to the enforcement plan published today by the Equality and Human Rights Commission. Read story
Steve Bee: Make way for the next generation of Waspi women
Money Marketing: Mishandling of the recent rapid increases in the state pension age have had a devastating effect on many women. Read story
How to make gender pay gap reporting work for you
Reward: With just over three months to go for companies to produce their gender pay gap report and with over 400 businesses having already done so, Mark Childs, Managing Director, Total Reward Group at Arthur J. Gallagher declares now is the time to prepare a strong communications strategy. Read story
Flexible working ‘could be more important than a pay rise in 2018’
Health Insurance Daily: Flexible working could be more important for employees than a pay rise in 2018, according to Adrian Lewis, director of Activ Absence. Read story
What's in store for DB pensions in the New Year?
Professional Pensions: Calum Cooper says 2018 should be the year when the pensions industry puts members first, but we won't get there by chance. Read story
How better access to information can improve DB transfer outcomes
Professional Pensions: Members should have access to good guidance for DB transfers to limit potential issues and improve member outcomes, writes Kim Kaveh. Read story
Mercer launches Facebook pension advice chatbot in Australia
Corporate Adviser: Called SuperBot, the service is a social media based financial advice chatbot that uses artificial intelligence to encourage users to help understand what their retirement reality will be like and take action. Read story
Agency workforce losing out on £400 million
HR Magazine: The agency workforce is losing £400 million a year because these workers are paid less than their employee equivalents, analysis published by the Resolution Foundation has shown. Read story
PPF praised for tough line on Toys R Us insolvency talks
Pensions Expert: The pensions industry has welcomed the tough stance taken by the Pension Protection Fund in its negotiations with struggling retailer Toys R Us, saying it will encourage companies not to take their pension responsibilities lightly. Read story
A book called 'Purple Cow' changed the way this CEO pays staff
HR Grapevine: Whilst many within the HR space often tout a number of benefits that aren’t related to money, the truth is, remuneration is probably more important to your employees than an assistant programme they rarely use. Read story
Pay awards stuck firm at 2% during 2017, according to XpertHR
Personnel Today: Employers consistently offered median pay awards of 2% during 2017, according to XpertHR’s analysis. Read story
European court ruling may hinder Uber’s appeal against drivers’ employment status
People Management: The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled yesterday (20 December) that Uber is a transport company for the purpose of employing drivers, as opposed to the ‘information society service’ it had claimed – a decision that may make its appeal against a UK ruling that its drivers are workers less likely to succeed. Read story