INSURANCE

Abbott

This work/life leader really gets the message out about flex: About 65% of employees use some form of alternative work arrangement, and most have been supplied with the computers, software and remote access they need to work from home. The firm encourages job-sharing or part-time options when staffers ...
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Accenture

About 60% of its staffers flex their hours or telecommute, and they only need to work an hour a week to earn health-care benefits. In response to recent staff surveys, the firm reduced overtime work, shortened business trips and added more opportunities for employees to adjust their daily schedules. ...
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Aflac Inc.

Renowned for its popular talking-duck commercials, this insurance leader is a favorite among working parents. Staffers are given lots of flexibility to adjust and compress their hours and to work off-site. In fact, employees in the customer call center regularly submit their "dream schedules" for approval. ...
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Allstate Insurance Co.

Employees are in good hands with this top financial services firm, where innovative work/life policies help them maintain balance in their lives. More than half of staffers flex their hours, a quarter telecommute, and a tenth compress their schedules. Job-shares and part-time work are also popular. ...
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American Express Co.

This family-friendly company allows employees to take advantage of flextime, compressed weeks, telecommuting and job-sharing. To ensure fairness, it provides managers with detailed selection criteria, user guides and a sample case study of successful flexible work arrangements so they can assess whether a flexible schedule is the right fit ...
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Arnold & Porter LLP

Role models for women abound, from the firm's female executive director to its part-time advisor, a partner and mom who counsels other employees who work part-time. Women also benefit from the firm's networking, mentoring and career development programs, which are open to all employees. ...
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Astrazeneca

An on-site day-care center at headquarters provides full-time and backup care to infants, toddlers and kindergartners. A summer camp is open to their school-age siblings. Discounts are available at regional and national child-care chains, and all employees get ten days of in-home or center-based backup care, subsidized at 90% ...
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Avon Products Inc.

Avon's long history of serving women has fostered a truly inclusive culture. Women make up 72% of the staff, and their career advancement is supported by a variety of mentoring, leadership training and executive succession programs. More than half (54%) of the firm's top-earning employees are women. ...
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Bank of America

The company subsidizes 65% of the cost of care at its three on-site day-care centers at headquarters and in Jacksonville, FL. Employees in ten cities can take advantage of the Snowy Day backup-care program when nasty weather keeps their kids out of school, and staffers who earn less than ...
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Baptist Health South Florida

Staffers rave about the summer leave policy, which allows them to take off for 12 (unpaid) weeks. All new parents are eligible for at least 12 job-guaranteed weeks off after they adopt or give birth; four of those weeks are partially paid for birthmothers. Workers may also take ...
Bayer Corp.

Its parent company may be 143 years old, but this firm's policies are remarkably progressive. Staffers can share jobs, work off-site or reduce their hours while still receiving health benefits, pending a manager's approval. Employees in the Consumer Care Division in Morristown, NJ, work summer hours — allowing them ...
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Bon Secours Richmond Health System

Recognizing that at-home concerns can translate into obstacles at work, Bon Secours offers discounted tutoring services for kids with learning difficulties, while children with weight issues may sign up for nutrition classes, and self-defense classes help keep girls safe. ...
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Booz Allen Hamilton

About a quarter of the employees at this busy consulting firm have children under the age of 12, and they depend on alternative work arrangements to maintain balance in their lives. Flex is endorsed at almost all levels, with nearly 80% of workers occasionally changing their hours and 54% ...
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The Boston Consulting Group

The company takes care of employee families by paying 100% of their health and dental costs, with a low copay of just $5 per office visit. There's unlimited coverage for in-vitro fertilization treatments and full coverage for children's speech and physical therapy. ...
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Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.

Four on-site day-care centers (located in New Jersey and Connecticut) look after kids 8 weeks to 6 years old and offer gardening activities, music lessons and field trips to toddlers and preschoolers. Older kids use the facilities during school holidays and sign up by the dozens for their summer ...
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Bronson Healthcare Group Inc.

Alternative work arrangements form the backbone of this health-care system: 30% of all employees compress their schedules, while 16% flex their hours. A smaller number telecommute, work part-time or job-share. ...
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Capital One Financial Corp.

Expectant parents got a big break in 2005, with more time off. New moms now have 16 weeks of job-guaranteed leave (up from 12), with eight weeks fully paid (up from six). New dads and adoptive and foster parents get 12 weeks off (two paid for fathers and ...
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Carlson Companies

Carlson's employee assistance program is extremely comprehensive, offering help with everything from finding tutors for children facing learning challenges to locating aid for elderly parents and guiding teens through the college application process. ...
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Children's Healthcare of Atlanta

Quarterly baby showers provide moms-to-be (and dads, too) with information on breastfeeding, returning to work and finding the best child care. ...
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Children's Memorial Hospital

Working parents feel right at home at this child-friendly Midwestern hospital, where flexible schedules--including staggered shifts, telecommuting, compressed workweeks and part-time hours--are simply a part of "the way we work." An impressive 50% of employees use flextime on the job. ...
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Citigroup Inc.

Working parents aren't lacking assistance: The firm boasts seven on-site child-care centers and recently broke ground on an eighth. In addition to full-time and backup care, most offer extended hours and summer camp programs, with deeply discounted rates for low-income families. This year, a new ...
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CJW Medical Center

To help employees keep their skills current, the hospital reimburses school tuition and fees for certification classes. Full-time employees receive up to $5,000 per year, while part-time employees get $3,000. ...
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Colgate-Palmolive Co.

This global manufacturer of toothpaste--among many other products--keeps employees smiling with its flexible scheduling policies. With the approval of their managers, staffers can come in late or leave early, telecommute, job-share, work a compressed week or arrange sabbaticals. A uniform application process for flex schedules ensures equity. ...
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Cornell University

Students aren't the only ones learning at this Ivy League university: As of 2005, all supervisors are trained to manage their employees' alternative work arrangements. The school's casual atmosphere tends to promote flexibility: Many staffers adjust or reduce their hours on a regular basis, and it takes just ...
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Covington & Burling LLP

A brand-new day-care center across the street from headquarters accommodates 96 children from infancy through age 4. Employees in New York City, San Francisco and Washington have access to subsidized in-home and center-based backup care, at prices ranging from $3 per hour to $25 per day per child. Teens ...
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Credit Suisse Securities LLC

New moms receive 20 job-guaranteed weeks off as maternity leave, with 12 weeks fully paid. Fathers and adoptive parents also get 20 weeks off, with up to six of them paid. There's a $4,000 reimbursement for those who adopt. Staffers with the firm for five ...
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DaimlerChrysler Corp.

The cornerstone of the company's benefits is its work/family account that allocates $5,000 to eligible salaried employees for child care, adoption costs, dependent education costs and elder care. The program allows employees to decide how to use their funds based on their individual needs. ...
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Deloitte & Touche USA LLP

When an emergency crops up, parents can send their children to one of 69 backup-care centers across the country. If they need alternative arrangements, the company offers reimbursement for child care provided outside these centers. ...
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Deutsche Bank

A women's network was formally relaunched in 2005 as Women on Wall Street. Its goal: to address the issues female employees care about most and help them advance in their careers. Networking opportunities, business lunches, conferences and workshops are sponsored by the network. Approximately 15% ...
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Discovery Communications Inc.

Here's a global company that has discovered the value of allowing employees to flex their schedules. About 60% of staffers made use of the media company's liberal flextime policy last year, which allows them to set their own hours or telecommute with the approval of ...

Dow Corning Corp.

The company has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars building community-based day-care centers that employee parents may use. When a child or elderly relative is sick, staffers may hire in-home care subsidized by the company--or, if they prefer to stay home for a day or ...
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Dupont Co.

The company proved its strong commitment to its employees last year when hurricanes Katrina and Rita severely damaged nine plants and left hundreds of employees homeless. DuPont donated more than $1 million to the relief effort, plus food and supplies, mobile homes and essential services ...
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Eli Lilly & Co.

This leading drug company gives employees a wide berth to create their own schedules (with supervisor approval), asking only that they structure them around the core hours of 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Flexible work arrangements are encouraged: Nearly half of all staffers telecommute, while ...
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Ernst & Young LLP

The company's leave program gives employees ample time to adjust to a new child, retirement or a career hiatus. New moms with one year of service receive eight weeks of maternity leave beyond the 12 weeks offered by FMLA, six of which are fully paid; ...
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Fannie Mae

Parents considering adoption can use the firm's resource and referral services to investigate their options. If they decide to adopt, they can take four paid weeks off to spend with their child and have $10,000 of their costs reimbursed. ...
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First Horizon National Corp.

With 609 U.S. sites, this large financial firm relies on flexible schedules to meet its employees' work/life needs, such as four-day workweeks, job-shares and reduced "prime-time" schedules of 20 to 32 hours a week, with full benefits. In 2005, 46% of employees flexed their hours ...
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First National Bank

Helping employees stay fit is a priority at First National. An on-site fitness center at headquarters doubled in size this past year, and class offerings increased to 20 a week (up from five). ...
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Ford Motor Co.

In 2005, Ford launched a formal internal mentoring program, the Ford Senior Women's Initiative, to pair high-potential women with vice presidents who serve as their mentors, offering advice and advocating for their best interests. ...
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Genentech

Convenience is key: A hair salon and dental services on-site keep working moms looking good. A full-time concierge helps busy employees knock some items off their to-do list--from waiting for the cable guy to planning a child's birthday. Other on-site services include laundry and dry cleaning, plus massages--to make ...
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General Electric Co.

GE's thriving Women's Network connects senior-level women to leadership opportunities. The network has successfully brought women together and made them more visible to senior leadership. ...
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© Copyright 2007, Working Mother Media Inc. All Rights Reserved


New York, NY (September 24) — Despite a business culture troubled by economic downturn, smart companies are carrying on their efforts to compete for the talent of the nation's 26 million working mothers, Working Mother magazine announced today.

With the release of the 17th annual list of the "100 Best Companies for Working Mothers," Working Mother laid out three basic trends among applicants: no rollback of work/life benefits during the recent recession, a post-9/11 increased emphasis on flexible scheduling, and augmented use of family leave by employees.

Editor-in-Chief Jill Kirschenbaum explained that "we're also seeing more and more working dads demanding work/life benefits, which turns out to be good news for working moms. The more it becomes the norm for both parents to stay involved with their kids, the less women's family obligations will negatively affect their advancement — or their paycheck."

Carol Evans, CEO of Working Mother Media, adds that "post-September 11, work/life initiatives have taken on even greater significance, with programs from employee assistance to telecommuting. Employees want to have flexibility to deal with family needs on a day-to-day basis, as well as in an emergency. Companies are winning the loyalty of employees who get the work done, wherever and whenever they do their jobs."

In compiling the "100 Best Companies for Working Mothers" list, the editors focused on how well companies provide their employees with particular benefits like flexible schedules and leave for new parents. Programs for women's advancement also assumed greater importance this year.

The complete list appears in the October issue of Working Mother (on newsstands today and at www.workingmother.com). A CNBC television special will spotlight some of the best of the "100 Best" at 8PM EST this evening. Working Mother magazine will honor the companies at a gala awards ceremony at the WorkLife Congress in New York October 1 & 2, www.worklifecongress.com).

Top 10
Working Mother gives special kudos to the ten companies that rank the highest (listed alphabetically):

Abbott Laboratories, IL (1st time on Top 10; 2 years on list)
American Express, NY (1st time on Top 10; 13 years on list)
Bank of America, NC (9th time on Top 10; 14 years on list)
Booz Allen Hamilton, VA (1st time on Top 10; 4 years on list)
Bristol-Myers Squibb, NY (2nd time on Top 10; 5 years on list)
Colgate-Palmolive, NY (1st time on Top 10; 3 years on list)
Computer Associates, NY (1st time on Top 10; 3 years on list)
Fannie Mae, DC (4th time on Top 10; 9 years on list)
General Mills, MN (1st time on Top 10; 7 years on list)
IBM, NY (15th time on Top 10; 17 years on list)
Industry Leaders
Companies that shine as BEST IN INDUSTRY include Booz Allen Hamilton (Financial & Professional Services), Baptist Health South Florida (Health Care), IBM (Information Technology), General Mills (Manufacturing), Discovery Communications (Media & Advertising), Abbott Laboratories (Pharmaceuticals), and Carlson Companies (Travel & Hospitality).

Best in Class
Using company survey scores, this year Working Mother also highlights as BEST IN CLASS those companies excelling in specific categories: DuPont (Flexibility), CIGNA (Representation of Women), Bristol-Myers Squibb (Child Care), S.C. Johnson & Son (Advancement), Citigroup (Family-Friendly/Corporate Culture), and Arnold & Porter (Leave for New Parents).

Family Champion
Working Mother singles out Steve Sanger, CEO of manufacturing giant General Mills (Minneapolis, MN) as this year's FAMILY CHAMPION for thinking outside the (cereal) box with regard to family-friendly programs. Ever since CEO Steve Sanger's two year-old daughter locked herself in the hotel bathroom moments before a Wall Street analyst presentation six years ago, nobody has to explain to him how work and family obligations can collide. Flexible work arrangements make up one piece of the work/family puzzle assembled under Sanger that includes on-site child care and health care, time-saving employee perks, backup child-care, and programs to advance women through the ranks. Parent-friendly offerings reflect the complex needs of working mothers, such as emergency-care for kids on school holidays, on-site mammograms for time-crunched working moms, as well as a variety of yoga and exercise classes for stressed-out employees.

Small Business Champion
Working Mother also recognizes the efforts of America's small businesses, which employ more than half of the workforce but lack the resources of large organizations. "Every company strives to lure — and keep — the best people by finding the right mix of pay and perks, and this challenge looms large, particularly for small companies," says Kirschenbaum.

Saluted for his above-and-beyond commitment to employees, this year's SMALL BUSINESS CHAMPION, Noel Group CEO John Noel, began the Wisconsin-based travel insurance agency — and his quest for work/life balance — over a decade ago in his basement. Noel's fervent dedication to staff shows in work/life initiatives like on-site child care and flexibility. And when Noel adopted a "no-downsizing" policy post 9/11, employees returned the loyalty by volunteering for 24-hour shifts, providing back-up child care, and taking on new roles in short-staffed departments.

Companies To Watch
Acknowledging those companies improving work-life benefits but have yet to achieve "100 Best" status, Working Mother points to three COMPANIES TO WATCH: Pitt County Memorial Hospital (NC), Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe (CA), and Forest Laboratories, Inc (NY).

About Working Mother
Working Mother magazine, founded in 1979, reaches more than 3 million readers and is the only national magazine for career-committed mothers. Its 17-year signature "100 Best Companies for Working Mothers" serves as a benchmark for work/life practices in corporate America. The magazine is part of Working Mother Media (WMM), which also owns the National Association for Female Executives (NAFE), Executive Female, and the annual 100 Best Companies Work/Life Conference. In 2002, WMM launched a new initiative, Best Companies for Women of Color.


2002 "100 Best Companies for Working Mothers"
* first year on the list

ABBOTT LABORATORIES IL
ABN AMRO NORTH AMERICA, INC. IL
ACACIA GROUP* MD
AFLAC INCORPORATED GA
AGILENT TECHNOLOGIES* CA
ALLSTATE INSURANCE COMPANY IL
AMERICA ONLINE* VA
AMERICAN AIRLINES TX
AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER* OH
AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY NY
ARNOLD & PORTER DC
ARNOLD WORLDWIDE* MA
ASTRAZENECA* DE
AVENTIS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.* NJ
AVNET, INC* AZ
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. NC
BANK ONE CORPORATION IL
BAPTIST HEALTH SOUTH FLORIDA FL
BAYER CORPORATION PA
BAYFRONT HEALTH SYSTEM FL
BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF MASS. MA
BON SECOURS RICHMOND HEALTH SYSTEM VA
BOOZ ALLEN & HAMILTON VA
BP AMERICA INC* IL
BRISTOL-MYERS SQUIBB COMPANY NY
BROWN BROTHERS HARRIMAN* NY
BRYANLGH MEDICAL CENTER NE
CARLSON COMPANIES MN
CIGNA CORPORATION PA
CINERGY OH
CISCO SYSTEMS, INC. CA
CITIGROUP NY
COLGATE-PALMOLIVE COMPANY NY
COMPUTER ASSOCIATES INTERNATIONAL, INC. NY
CORNING INCORPORATED NY
CROSS COUNTRY TRAVCORPS FL
DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION MI
DELOITTE & TOUCHE CT
DEUTSCHE BANK NY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS, INC. MD
DUPONT DE
EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY NY
ELI LILLY AND COMPANY IN
ERNST & YOUNG LLP NY
FANNIE MAE DC
FIRST NATIONAL BANK * NE
FIRST TENNESSEE NATIONAL CORPORATION TN
FLEETBOSTON FINANCIAL MA
FLEISHMAN HILLARD* MO
FORD MOTOR COMPANY MI
FREDDIE MAC* VA
GANNETT CO., INC. VA
GENENTECH CA
GENERAL MILLS MN
GENERAL MOTORS MI
GLAXOSMITHKLINE NC
HOFFMANN-LA ROCHE NJ
HOUSEHOLD INTERNATIONAL IL
HP CA
IBM CORPORATION NY
INTEGRIS HEALTH, INC.* OK
INTEL CORPORATION* CA
JFK MEDICAL CENTER FL
JOHNSON & JOHNSON NJ
JPMORGAN CHASE NY
KPMG LLP NJ
KRAFT FOODS INC IL
LINCOLN FINANCIAL GROUP PA
LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES INC NJ
MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL, INC. DC
MASTERCARD INTERNATIONAL * NY
MBNA AMERICA BANK, N.A. DE
MERCK & CO, INC. NJ
MERRILL LYNCH & CO., INC. NY
METLIFE NY
MORGAN STANLEY NY
MORRISON & FOERSTER LLP CA
NEW YORK LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY NY
NORTHERN TRUST CORPORATION IL
NORTHWESTERN MEMORIAL HEALTHCARE IL
NOVANT HEALTH, INC. NC
NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS CORP. NJ
PATAGONIA, INC CA
PEARSON EDUCATION NJ
PFIZER INC. NY
THE PHOENIX COMPANIES, INC. CT
PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP NY
PROCTER & GAMBLE OH
PRUDENTIAL FINANCIAL, INC. NJ
REPUBLIC BANCORP INC. MI
SAS INSTITUTE NC
S. C. JOHNSON & SON, INC. WI
SCHERING-PLOUGH CORPORATION NJ
SUN MICROSYSTEMS, INC. CA
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS TX
TIAA-CREF NY
USAA TX
VERIZON WIRELESS* NJ
WACHOVIA CORPORATION NC
WYETH NJ