General Mills to switch cereals to whole grain

General Mills is converting all of its breakfast cereals to whole grain, making it the latest food company to undergo a nutritional makeover amid calls by government and consumer groups for healthier eating.

The move announced Thursday by the nation’s second-largest cereal maker affects 29 cereals, including such popular brands as Trix, Golden Grahams, Lucky Charms and Rice Chex. The new recipes and packaging will be launched this month.

Several of the firm’s brands, including Cheerios, Wheaties, Total and Wheat Chex, are already whole grain.

Workplace

Lawrence firm receives honor for its work force

Lawrence’s Pearson Government Solutions on Thursday was honored as one of the state’s top businesses for employing workers 55 years and older.

The company was honored at the Kansas Department of Commerce and the Kansas Department on Aging’s 2004 Older Workers Awards in Topeka. Pearson, which operates a customer service center that provides services for a variety of government agencies, received the Private Sector Business of the Year in the large business category.

The state agencies cited Pearson programs designed to recruit and retain older employees.

Insurance

Sprint to add benefits for domestic partners

Sprint Corp. will extend health insurance and other employee benefits to domestic partners beginning in 2005.

The Overland Park-based telecommunications company, with 61,000 employees nationwide, disclosed the program to employees this week as part of a regular review of changes to benefits for next year. The expanded coverage will take effect Jan. 1.

Sprint spokeswoman Jennifer Bosshardt said the move was not connected to criticism the company received earlier this month from the Human Rights Campaign. The gay, bisexual and transgender advocacy group ridiculed Sprint for providing insurance to employees’ pets but not domestic partners.