Europe

UK - Company moves to cut unplanned absences through the non-payment of sick pay could backfire, Mercer Human Resource Consulting warns.

UK - Employers should get generous tax breaks if they contribute at least 5% to staff pensions, the Association of British Insurers claims.

UK - The Treasury's review of scheme compliance with principles in the report by former Gartmore chief Paul Myners will be released in late summer.

UK - Mercer Human Resource Consulting is holding a series of seminars on human resources and employee benefits issues.

UK - Scheme members and the government will have to shoulder some of the cost of pension protection, bosses have warned.

BELGIUM - VKG, the e500m Belgium pension fund, is expected to make a final decision on its foray into alternatives shortly.

UK - The Association of Consulting Actuaries has urged the government to amend its "overly ambitious" proposals for the Pension Protection Fund.

UK - Insight Investments has added to its property portfolio with the purchase of a £19.5m warehouse on behalf of its client, Clerical Medical.

UK - Bedlam Asset Management will not be charging investors in its UK equities fund after it failed to beat the benchmark.

UK - Local government pension scheme minister Phil Hope will be the keynote speaker at the CLASS annual general meeting at London's Guildhall today.