Authoria Extends World-class Product Line to Include UK Benefits Content; Authoria HR UK Benefits Provides Dynamic Personalised Benefits Information.

Business/Technology Editors

WALTHAM, Mass. and CAMBRIDGE, England--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 6, 2001

Authoria, Inc., the trusted world leader in personalised, dynamically generated, Web-based communication, today announced the release of Authoria HR UK Benefits(TM), a comprehensive collection of benefits information covering a vast range of UK-specific benefits subjects like Pension Scheme, All Employee Share Ownership Plan (AESOP) and Permanent Health Insurance (PHI).

Authoria HR UK Benefits, a Web-based application designed for the communication of benefit information to employees, is designed to work seamlessly with the flagship Authoria HR solution. Deployed via the Web, HR intranets for employee self-service (ESS), or within call centers, Authoria HR UK Benefits uses a knowledgebase especially designed to handle the complex nature of employee information, benefit scheme design, and HR policy design. Authoria HR UK Benefits enables employers to strengthen their relationship with their employees by providing dynamic, personalised and consistent answers to the questions employees have about their their benefits, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

"Today's news coincides with the opening of Authoria European headquarters office in Cambridge and underscores our steadfast commitment to addressing the communication needs of our Global 2000 customer base," said Authoria President and CEO Tod Loofbourrow. "Now employers offering a wide range of U.K specific benefits schemes - all with multiple options and components - have the ability to instantly communicate up-to-date, error-free personalised benefits information to employees."

"Authoria HR UK Benefits is a valuable addition to Authoria's HR product suite and could provide companies with a real competitive advantage ," said Mike Friend, Senior Research Analyst at IDC. "It's self-service, personalised information will help increase employee perception of the value of their benefits package, thus aiding in their retention and recruitment. Employee self service is also proving to be an important factor in the battle to reduce HR administrative costs, allowing benefits administrators to focus on strategic HR objectives versus administrative functions."

About Authoria HR UK Benefits

Designed to handle even the most complex benefits schemes, Authoria HR UK Benefits captures a company's information by walking the benefits administrator through a series of questions about their benefits offerings, then dynamically organises and produces the information online.

Authoria HR UK Benefits is a comprehensive collection of benefits information developed by experts with many years of industry experience. UK-specific benefits subjects covered by Authoria HR UK Benefits include:

--Pension Scheme: The Pension Scheme subject offers valuable flexibility when communicating about an organisation's pension scheme, providing information about the following types of pension schemes:

--Final salary scheme

--Money purchase scheme

--Hybrid scheme (combining final salary and money purchase schemes)

--All Employee Share Ownership Plan (AESOP): The All Employee Share Ownership Plan (AESOP) subject contains information that helps employees learn about AESOPs, how the plan works, joining the plan, tax and NIC implications, and selling shares. Based on an organisation's offerings, Authoria HR UK Benefits allows benefits administrators to set up any of the four types of shares listed below (individually or in any combination):

--Free shares

--Partnership shares

--Matching shares

--Dividend shares

--Death in Service/Life Cover: The Death in Service/Life Cover subject contains important information about the financial protection that employees' dependants receive should the employee die. It includes information like when cover begins, how to name a beneficiary, making a claim, and tax and NIC implications.

--Healthcare Scheme: The Healthcare Scheme subject provides information that can be communicated to employees about how the offered healthcare scheme works and the benefits of private medical cover. The subject offers a benefits summary for employees and eligible dependants, details about how they will receive benefits, and information about how employees can join the scheme.

--Save As You Earn (SAYE) Share Scheme: This subject contains information about how employees can share in an organisation's success by joining a SAYE share scheme. The subject contains information about how the scheme works, joining the scheme, and who is eligible to participate.

--Personal Accident Insurance (PAI): This subject allows companies to explain the types of coverage offered to employees should they suffer injury. It allows companies to provide a benefits summary and explain what is covered and also communicate eligibility, enrollment, receiving benefits, taxes and NIC implications, making a claim, and much more.

--Permanent Health Insurance (PHI): The Permanent Health Insurance (PHI) subject contains information that helps employees understand their level of cover in the event of disability or illness.

--Company Car: This subject allows companies to communicate information about their company car benefit, including a benefit summary, who is eligible for the scheme, and how to join.

About Authoria

Authoria is the trusted world leader in personalised, dynamically generated, Web-based communication. Authoria's software allows employers and outsourcers to communicate vital information to their employees via the Internet, intranet or call center - anywhere, anytime. Millions of people rely on Authoria's products through leading outsourcers such as xChanging, and Global 2000 industry leaders such as McDonald's Corporation, T. Rowe Price, Bristol Myers Squibb, Prudential and Boeing. With a unique blend of Internet technology and an unparalleled knowledgebase, Authoria HR(TM) provides employers and outsourcers with an application to deliver intelligent, personalised, Web-based answers to thousands of benefit and HR policy questions. Authoria's products instantly and dynamically generate answers to employee and member questions based on their individual needs.

Incorporated in 1997, Authoria has been ranked three times by Inc. Magazine as one of America's fastest-growing private companies and has been recognized by Deloitte & Touche in the New England Fast 50 three times and National Fast 500 twice. For more information, visit the Company's Web site at www.authoria.com.

Note to editors: Authoria, Authoria eSPD, Authoria HR, Authoria AnswerWise,Authoria Outsourcer, and Authoria HR UK Benefits are trademarks or registered trademarks of Authoria, Inc. in the United States and other countries. All other product names and references contained herein remain the service marks, trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.