http://www.personneltoday.com/en-gbFri, 10 Oct 2008 15:31:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/10/47891/bus-staff-strike-over-pay-as-metroline-defends-offer.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/10/47891/bus-staff-strike-over-pay-as-metroline-defends-offer.html London bus company Metroline believes it did all it could to avoid its staff striking today. While in talks with trade union Unite yesterday, Metroline offered its staff a 4% pay increase. But no agreFri, 10 Oct 2008 15:31:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/10/47864/final-salary-pensions-on-last-legs-as-employers-plan-2012-switch.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/10/47864/final-salary-pensions-on-last-legs-as-employers-plan-2012-switch.html Thousands of employers with defined contribution pension schemes will close them to new members when the personal accounts system launches in 2012, according to a study. <A href="http://www.napf.co.uk/Publications/researchFri, 10 Oct 2008 08:02:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/08/47786/employers-continue-to-close-defined-benefit-pensions-to-new-members.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/08/47786/employers-continue-to-close-defined-benefit-pensions-to-new-members.html One in five employers offering a defined benefit pension is considering changing to a defined contribution scheme, according to a comprehensive study. The 34th National Association of PensiWed, 08 Oct 2008 08:00:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/03/47734/mandatory-retirement-age-to-be-scrapped-across-whitehall-from-2010.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/03/47734/mandatory-retirement-age-to-be-scrapped-across-whitehall-from-2010.html The retirement age for junior ranks of the Civil Service is set to be scrapped, the Cabinet Office has announced. Whitehall departments and the Council of Civil Service Unions have agreed that employment policy on mandatorFri, 03 Oct 2008 07:13:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/02/47724/care-package-for-staff-at-abbey-aims-to-save-bank-500000-a-year.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/02/47724/care-package-for-staff-at-abbey-aims-to-save-bank-500000-a-year.html Abbey has launched a new emergency care service for its employees that could save the company £500,000 a year. The bank has teamed up with care provider My Family CaThu, 02 Oct 2008 13:09:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/02/47722/healthcare-benefits-costs-rise-by-5-across-europe.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/02/47722/healthcare-benefits-costs-rise-by-5-across-europe.html The cost of providing employee healthcare benefits rose an average of 5% per employee across Europe in 2007, according to a pan-European report. Despite the rising costs, companies plan to maintain their health and benefiThu, 02 Oct 2008 10:35:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/01/47693/pay-cuts-loom-for-1500-as-nottingham-city-council-bids-to-end-equal-pay-row.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/01/47693/pay-cuts-loom-for-1500-as-nottingham-city-council-bids-to-end-equal-pay-row.html Nearly 1,500 staff at Nottingham City Council will have their pay cut to bring the council in line with <A href="http://www.personneltoday.com/articles/2008/08/21/47167/equal-pay-guide-launched-as-private-firms-urged-to-tackle-isWed, 01 Oct 2008 10:47:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/01/47694/minimum-wage-increase-set-to-benefit-women-most.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/01/47694/minimum-wage-increase-set-to-benefit-women-most.html Two-thirds of workers benefiting from the national minimum wage (NMW) increase today will be women, according to the TUC. The NMW increases from £5.52 to £5.73 per hour for full-time adult workers todWed, 01 Oct 2008 10:36:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/01/47689/final-salary-pensions-meltdown-confined-to-private-sector.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/01/47689/final-salary-pensions-meltdown-confined-to-private-sector.html The divide between public and private sector final salary pensions grew again last year, statistics show. The Wed, 01 Oct 2008 07:34:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/09/30/47687/raft-of-new-employment-law-changes-comes-into-force-in-october.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/09/30/47687/raft-of-new-employment-law-changes-comes-into-force-in-october.html A raft of employment law changes will take effect in the UK tomorrow (1 October). The National Minimum Wage will be increased to £5.73 for people agedTue, 30 Sep 2008 13:00:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/09/29/47676/church-of-england-concedes-clergy-work-for-church.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/09/29/47676/church-of-england-concedes-clergy-work-for-church.html Religious groups in the UK could soon find their members subject to minimum wage and anti-discrimination laws, a union has claimed. Unite, the UK's largest trade union, said the Church of England has conceded thaMon, 29 Sep 2008 11:13:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/09/26/47625/city-bonus-clampdown-could-lead-to-legal-action.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/09/26/47625/city-bonus-clampdown-could-lead-to-legal-action.html Attempts to clamp down on the City's bonus culture face major barriers, legal experts have warned. The Financial Services Authority (FSA) last week threatened tightFri, 26 Sep 2008 09:56:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/09/25/47616/pensions-buyout-relief-for-west-ferry-printers.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/09/25/47616/pensions-buyout-relief-for-west-ferry-printers.html National newspaper printing firm West Ferry Printers has secured a buyout of its pension scheme. Insurer Norwich Union has taken on the liabilities of paying pensions to members of the West Ferry scheme. John PanneThu, 25 Sep 2008 13:12:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/09/25/47615/wychavon-district-council-voted-best-council-to-work-for-in-uk.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/09/25/47615/wychavon-district-council-voted-best-council-to-work-for-in-uk.html Wychavon District Council has been crowned the best council to work for in an annual competition. The council - based Thu, 25 Sep 2008 12:25:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/09/25/47612/gender-pay-gaps-in-government-made-transparent-in-online-league-of-shame.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/09/25/47612/gender-pay-gaps-in-government-made-transparent-in-online-league-of-shame.html The Foreign Office, Home Office and the Ministry of Defence have some of the worst gender pay gaps in the government according to the centrThu, 25 Sep 2008 07:34:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/09/24/47604/healthcare-and-pension-pressures-on-employers-rise-with-ageing-workforce.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/09/24/47604/healthcare-and-pension-pressures-on-employers-rise-with-ageing-workforce.html Pressure on employers to fund and facilitate healthcare and pensions schemes will intensify as the government struggles with the rising costs of an ageing workforce, a new survey has claimed. A report by think tank the WorWed, 24 Sep 2008 11:27:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/09/24/47603/investigation-into-bankers-bonuses-may-lead-to-legal-challenges-by-staff.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/09/24/47603/investigation-into-bankers-bonuses-may-lead-to-legal-challenges-by-staff.html The Financial Services Authority's (FSA) investigation into bankers' bonuses could result in legal challenges against banks from disgruntled employees, a legal expert has warned. The new chairman of the FSA, <A href="http:Wed, 24 Sep 2008 11:01:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/09/24/47595/city-bonuses-compensate-for-modest-salaries.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/09/24/47595/city-bonuses-compensate-for-modest-salaries.html An employment lawyer has slammed chancellor Alistair Darling's plans to crack down on City bonuses. Darling told the Labour Party conference earlier this week thaWed, 24 Sep 2008 07:00:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/09/22/47605/health-benefits-nearly-as-important-as-pensions-for-half-of-uk-workers.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/09/22/47605/health-benefits-nearly-as-important-as-pensions-for-half-of-uk-workers.html More than half of UK workers want their employer to take more responsibility for their health and wellbeing needs, with workplace health benefits now valued almost as highly as having an occupational pension. Health insurerMon, 22 Sep 2008 11:08:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/09/19/47567/childcare-voucher-entitlement-doubles-to-52-weeks-from-5-october.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/09/19/47567/childcare-voucher-entitlement-doubles-to-52-weeks-from-5-october.html Employers that offer childcare vouchers to mothers on maternity leave must do so for 52 weeks of such leave once <A href="http://www.personneltoday.com/articles/2008/06/03/46127/maternity-leave-guide-published-by-hm-revenue-and-cFri, 19 Sep 2008 18:30:00 GMT