INDEPENDENT workplace pensions and employee benefits specialist Johnson Fleming has launched the second in a series of free auto-enrolment and re-enrolment guides.

It follows a warning from the Bromsgrove-based company that employers face greater scrutiny from the Pensions Regulator as more and more employers reach their auto-enrolment staging date.

Iain Chadwick, consultancy director at Johnson Fleming, said: "As more and more companies pass through the ‘looking glass’ that is the auto-enrolment staging date, there’s no doubt that understanding how to establish an effective and ongoing auditing and governance process is essential knowledge for all involved. The Regulator has started to bare its teeth and has already issued notices to companies relating to unpaid contributions.

“The changes will soon start to come into force so there’s no doubt, if you haven’t completed an audit of your auto-enrolment compliance before, now is definitely the time to do it. While the Regulator will take notice of breaches in your scheme, they are more likely to be interested in how you acknowledge and rectify them.”

Comprising four key chapters covering the communication processes, the auto-enrolment scheme, assessment and contribution processes and scheme certification, Johnson Fleming’s guide will act as a useful tool and solid reference sheet for HR, payroll and pensions professionals.