At a glance: reward and benefits headlines this week
The headlines you might have missed between 22-28 January 2016
Ombudsman upholds pensions tax duty-of-care complaint against police
Employee Benefits: The Pensions Ombudsman has upheld a police officer’s complaint that his employer had a duty of care to inform him of the tax implications of re-employment on his retirement benefits. Read story
9% have reviewed salary sacrifice against national living wage compliance
Employee Benefits: Less than one in 10 (9%) of employer respondents have reviewed their use of salary sacrifice against the new national living wage requirements, according to research by Jelf Employee Benefits. Read story
32% prefer employees to stay at home when ill
Employee Benefits: Almost a third (32%) of manager respondents prefer staff to take time off sick rather than come to work when ill, according to research by Axa PPP Healthcare. Read story
Deloitte considers expanding housing support scheme it offers staff
CIPD: Consultancy firm Deloitte has said it is considering expanding the help it gives staff in the capital with housing, building on its existing scheme for graduate joiners. Read story
UK medical inflation to soar in 2016
Corporate Adviser: The costs of employer-sponsored plans is expected to increase by 9.3 per cent, with UK medical inflation outpacing increases worldwide, according to a new report from Aon Hewitt. Read story
Workers facing negative attitudes to mental health
Corporate Adviser: A third of UK workers say their organisation has a negative approach to mental health problems, with a similar proportion saying no support is offered. Read story
How LinkedIn embraces career flexibility
HR Magazine: LinkedIn's Wendy Murphy talks about the unique HR opportunities faced by such a fast-changing, global organisation. Read story
Goffee and Jones: Why should anyone work here?
HR Magazine: Professors Rob Goffee and Gareth Jones explain how to ensure people really want to work for your organisation. Read story
Another step in the commission as holiday pay case
HR Magazine: A final judgment is expected in March, but what could the possible ramifications be for employers? Read story
What will LGPS pools look like?
Professional Pensions: With just weeks until LGPS funds must hand over their initial plans for pooling to the government, the details are already emerging. Read story
European pension funds lead the way on gender diversity
Professional Pensions: Pension fund boards and executive committees across Europe have shown the strongest female representation in the capital markets sector, according to a report by New Financial. Read story
Pay in UK cities fell £1,300 in four years to 2014 despite jobs growth, says report
CIPD: Almost a million new jobs were created in UK cities between 2010 and 2014, however, pay for city dwellers dropped by 5 per cent in the same period meaning wages fell by £1,300 on average for each urban worker. Read story
Halfords cuts bonuses by £2 million
Employee Benefits: Halfords is to cut bonus payments for some employees by a total of £2 million after the organisation failed to hit sales targets. Read story
42% of millennial parents feel burnt out most or all of the time
Employee Benefits: More than two-fifths (42%) of millennial working parent respondents feel burnt out most or all of the time, according to research by Bright Horizons and Working Families. Read story
64% of City workers expect a bonus this year
Employee Benefits: Almost two-thirds (64%) of City worker respondents expect to receive a bonus from their employer this year, according to research by recruitment firm Astbury Marsden. Read story
Your New Year Pension Resolutions
Reward Guide: As 2016 kicks off, what do employers need to consider in the world of pensions? WEALTH at work gives you ten new year's resolutions. Read story
Aviva claims first with relevant life/CIC plan
Corporate Adviser: Aviva is launching what it describes as a market first relevant life insurance plan that comes with the option to add critical illness cover. Read story
Brewer crafts more generous DC plan to become top dog
Pensions Expert: Craft brewer Brewdog has introduced a higher contribution for members of its defined contribution scheme in an ambitious bid to create a best-in-class employee benefits package. Read story
Homebase M&A deal puts scheme security in the spotlight
Pensions Expert: Home Retail Group’s defined benefit scheme will receive a £50m cash injection as part of the proposed sale of its Homebase business, underscoring the need for trustees to consider the impact of disposals on covenant strength. Read story
Carter Law introduces enhanced bonus scheme and childcare vouchers
Employee Benefits: Carter Law Solicitors has introduced new benefits for its staff, including an enhanced bonus scheme and childcare vouchers. Read story
Andrew Page to pay all staff the national living wage
Employee Benefits: Andrew Page is to pay all of its 2,600 employees at least the national living wage rate of £7.20 an hour. Read story
Viewbank Dairy breaches holiday pay requirements
Employee Benefits: New Zealand’s Employment Relations Authority (ERA) has ordered Viewbank Dairy to pay a $7,500 penalty and to rectify employment law breaches discovered by the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment’s Labour Inspectorate. Read story
Financial worries key cause of low workforce productivity, warns report
CIPD: Financial troubles are a key factor in making UK workers less productive, according to a report by the Social Market Foundation and Neyber. Read story
University of Lincoln offers tailored financial education to staff
Employee Benefits: The combination of pensions freedoms, reforms to the Universities’ Superannuation Scheme (USS) and The Teachers’ Pension, relatively low pay awards in recent years and the fact more academic staff now work on a sessional or contract basis means there is a huge education piece to be had around finance and financial management within higher education. Read story
Ombudsman upholds pensions tax duty-of-care complaint against police
Employee Benefits: The Pensions Ombudsman has upheld a police officer’s complaint that his employer had a duty of care to inform him of the tax implications of re-employment on his retirement benefits. Read story
Lord Turner’s candid views on pensions reform, principle-based regulation and safe harbour
Corporate Adviser: Both principle-based regulation and pension freedoms could have been handled better, says Lord Turner, and the regulator should also think hard about safe harbour for advice. John Greenwood hears why. Read story
Height for Hire to launch employee engagement and communication portal
Employee Benefits: Access platform rental firm Height for Hire is to launch an employee engagement and internal communications hub for its 200 employees. Read story
Government consults on simplifying auto-enrolment process
Employee Benefits: The government has launched a consultation to gain views on its proposals to simplify the administration process of auto-enrolment. Read story
Government to enforce pension member-borne commission ban from April
Employee Benefits: The government is to place a regulatory duty on pension service providers to prohibit member-borne commission charges for workplace pension schemes from April 2016. Read story
Suspending childcare vouchers during maternity leave – EAT appeal
Personnel Today: Is an employer obliged to continue to provide childcare vouchers during maternity leave? Read story
How the physical workplace can help manage musculoskeletal disorders
Employee Benefits: Employers can help staff make adjustments to the physical workspace to prevent and manage MSDs. Read story
Stephen Barraclough: Ergonomics can help employees thrive
Employee Benefits: Progressive employers will give as much thought to factors within an office environment that enable individuals to be the best they can be as they will to acquiring the best building on the best possible terms. Read story
Simpler AE could benefit small employers
Pensions Expert: Further simplification of auto-enrolment regulations, now under consultation by the Department for Work and Pensions, will benefit small employers, but industry experts have said the policy is still playing catch-up with “horrendously complex” legislation. Read story
PLSA launches detailed study of 55-70 pension provision
Corporate Adviser: Of 11.5m people aged 55-70 across the UK, 3.3m have no private pension provision, while 4 m have at least one pension not yet in payment, according to a major survey by the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association. Read story
Legal and General boosts staff fitness through stair-climbing challenge
Employee Benefits: Legal and General has boosted physical activity among its workforce through a stair-climbing scheme. Read story
54% believe good work-life balance boosts staff engagement
Employee Benefits: Just over half (54%) of employer respondents believe that having a good work-life balance makes workers feel more engaged, according to research by global computer technology corporation Oracle. Read story
Unum: 20% increase in companies buying GIP
Cover Magazine: There has been a 20% increase in companies buying group income protection (GIP) for the first time, according to customer analysis by Unum. Read story
Employee engagement still a difficult concept for businesses
Reward Guide: HRs find engagement difficult to measure and even harder to report back to key decision makers. Read story
TPR warns new master trusts pose risks to members
Professional Pensions: The Pensions Regulator has warned there are real risks from new master trusts being subject to far less regulatory scrutiny than new contract-based providers. Read story
Total DC schemes reduced by 40% as market consolidates
Professional Pensions: Defined contribution (DC) schemes have reduced in number by 40% according to figures from The Pensions Regulator. Read story
HMRC says £3.5bn taken since freedoms but Q4 shows signs of slowing
Professional Pensions: Statistics from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have revealed 188,000 people have accessed around £3.5bn since freedom and choice came into effect last April but figures tailed off at the end of 2015. Read story
DB will still be alive in FTSE 250 within a year
Professional Pensions: DB schemes will not vanish from FTSE 250 companies in the next 12 months according to PP research. Read story