Employee Benefits

UK - Hewitt Associates, a global human resources services firm, hasannounced the appointment of Jerry Edmondson to its Talent andOrganisation Consulting (TOC) group in the UK.

US - The pension reform Bill proposed by House Republicans will bring "new ability and new flexibility" to defined benefit plans, Seattle-based consulting firm Milliman testified in front of a US government committee.

US - The pension reform Bill introduced by House Republicans is a "significant improvement" over the Administration's proposal but still has some problematic areas, says Mercer.

UK - Mercer Investment Consulting has lost a consulting brief with cosmetics company L'Oreal on the back of a tender which saw the £120m mandate awarded to Buck Consultants.

CANADA - The Ontario government has introduced legislation to parliament that would end mandatory retirement at age 65.

UK - The UK should consider a savings scheme along the lines of New Zealand's new voluntary savings scheme as part of the solution to the looming pensions crisis, says the Pensions Policy Institute (PPI).

UK - Insurance company Allianz Cornhill has appointed Jardine Lloyd Thompson (JLT) to administer its defined contribution pension arrangements.

INDIA - The systematic reform of India's pension system represents the "most ambitious" effort in the South Asian region to date, according to the World Bank.

UK - Continually low take up of defined contribution schemes despite increased education efforts by employers is putting the provision of occupational pensions at risk, warns Hewitt Associates.

UK - Aon Consulting has launched a new defined contribution product aimed at providing small and medium sized pension funds greater flexibility and cost effectiveness.