Morrisons opts out of 'auto-enrolment' scheme Instead, the company has decided to take another route, handing it a five year reprieve from the new rules. This means Morrisons will not have to "auto-enrol" existing employees onto a company scheme until 2017 - although new recruits hired after October 1 will still need to be auto-enrolled. Wendy Taylor, the head of human resources at Morrisons, told The Times that the new scheme was not about dodging auto-enrolment but about giving employees more certainty about their retirement incomes. Morrisons staff will be promised pension pots equivalent to 16pc of their annual basic pay each year, which will be used to buy an annuity on retirement. Despite this, the move was welcomed by unions. John Hannett, general secretary of USDAW, said: "USDAW has been very concerned about the pensions of shop workers and so the announcement by Morrisons that it is to offer our members the opportunity to guarantee their pension fund, when they choose to retire, is something we wholeheartedly support. We will work with Morrisons to help members understand what this scheme means for them and help them participate to invest in their future.