Pathway to Pensions, a programme of guidance and support for REC members launches today. The programme aims to help recruitment agencies understand how they will need to implement the automatic pension enrolment rules and make contributions for workers who remain opted in to a pension scheme.

From October 2012, the first recruitment agencies will begin implementing their responsibilities to automatically enrol workers into a pension scheme, in line with the Government’s workplace pension reforms.  Agencies will have to automatically enrol both their temps and directly hired staff into an approved pension scheme once they have reached certain salary thresholds. Workers will then have to opt out if they do not wish to participate in saving for a pension.

This practical support programme from the REC will help members prepare to take on these new responsibilities over the next few years.

Pathway to Pensions includes:

• a series of regional workshops with pensions experts from The Pensions Regulator and NEST (beginning in London on 18 April and Manchester on 26 April),
• a downloadable guide to preparing for auto-enrolment.

Additional resources will be added to the dedicated website over coming months to create a comprehensive ‘pensions toolkit’. These will include:

• a client briefing,
• a checklist for preparing your organisation,
• answers to frequently asked questions.

Later this year, the REC will also establish a new forum for payroll professionals in the agency sector to share best practice.

Commenting, REC Head of Policy Gillian Econopouly said:

“Whilst meeting the employer duties can seem daunting at first, the support on offer from Pathway to Pensions will give agencies the advice, guidance and direction they need to understand their responsibilities. Combined with our continued efforts on the policy front, this support programme will break down the complexities of auto-enrolment and help agencies prepare their companies in a way that suits their business needs.

“We continue to engage regularly with key Government stakeholders including the Department for Work and Pensions and The Pensions Regulator to ensure the rules are as workable as possible for recruitment agencies and do not impede their ability to provide the flexible workforce employers rely upon. Whilst we are in the process of getting clarification on some technical aspects of auto-enrolment, such as how postponement will work, this support programme is essential to helping our members prepare for their new duties under pensions reform.”

Credit: onrec.com