Money Matters

These days, workers may feel the best employee benefit is simply having a paycheck. And just as well, as cost-cutting has made other benefits less generous. But the worst may be over, says a report released this month by Watson Wyatt Worldwide. Based on a June poll of 358 companies, it forecasts a deceleration in the tendency to cut benefits or make workers bear more of their costs. The report does say employers will make fewer people eligible for stock options, due to changes in accounting rules.