TAMPA, Fla. — For the third year in a row, the Working Mother 100 Best Companies initiative has selected Moffitt Cancer Center as one of the nation’s top companies for family-friendly benefits. With 70 percent of mothers working—and women outnumbering men in the workplace for the first time in U.S. history—organizations like Moffitt have been instrumental in supporting their advancement.
“We’re very proud that Working Mother magazine has recognized Moffitt for three years in a row as one of the nation’s best places to work,” said Yvette Tremonti, executive vice president of Strategy and Business Development. “At Moffitt, employees are our most prized resource and we are committed to providing the kind of benefits and employee-related programs that are important to our entire work force.”
Employees at Moffitt enjoy plenty of flexibility and opportunity as they grow their careers while having families. Benefits such as diversity scholarships and backup child and elder care help Moffitt recruit and retain the very best. Parental leave offers employees an additional four weeks of paid leave and job protection beyond the 12 weeks provided by the Family and Medical Leave Act, paying 100 percent of an employee’s salary.
Sarah Thirlwell, clinical nurse specialist at Moffitt, gave birth to her first child, Leia, in December 2008. The parental leave policy gave her the option to remain at home with her newborn daughter until April. “The extended time allowed me to bond more fully with Leia and to develop as a mother in those additional four weeks when Leia changed dramatically,” said Thirlwell. “I am deeply grateful to Moffitt for the financial benefit and the priceless time with Leia.”
While the Working Mother 100 Best Companies continue expanding their benefits, those at companies nationwide lag. Just 44 percent of American companies offer telecommuting (vs. 100 percent of the 100 Best), 17 percent offer formal mentoring (vs. 95 percent), and 37 percent offer health insurance for part-timers (vs. 100 percent).In contrast, all of the 100 Best Companies offer paid maternity leave, lactation rooms, flextime, mental health consultations and elder-care resources; and 98 percent offer health screening and wellness programs—particularly significant in a stress-inducing, poor economy.
“Twenty-five years ago, we made a bold decision to launch our Best Companies initiative and challenge businesses to address the unique needs of working mothers,” said Carol Evans, president, Working Mother Media. “The immense influx of women into the work force demanded changes in workplace culture as companies strove to keep working moms’ talent and loyalty. Today, we celebrate our winners’ untiring commitment to their employees through an impressive array of programs.”
Profiles of the 100 Best Companies, as well as national comparisons, are in the October issue of Working Mother and at workingmother.com/bestcompanies.
Methodology:
Companies were selected for the 2010 Working Mother 100 Best Companies based on an extensive application with more than 600 questions on work force, compensation, child care, flexibility programs, leave policies and more. It also surveys the usage, availability and tracking of programs, as well as the accountability of managers who oversee them. Seven areas were measured and scored: work force profile, benefits, women’s issues and advancement, child care, flexible work, parental leave and company culture. For this year’s 100 Best, particular weight was given to benefits, flexibility and parental leave.
For more information on applying for the 2011 Working Mother 100 Best Companies, visit www.wmmsurveys.com. The 2011 online application will be available in mid-December and due by early March 2011. All companies that apply, including those that don’t make the 100 Best list, receive feedback showing how they compare with all other applicants.
About Moffitt Cancer Center
Located in Tampa, Florida, Moffitt Cancer Center is an NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center - a designation that recognizes Moffitt’s excellence in research and contributions to clinical trials, prevention and cancer control. Moffitt currently has 14 affiliates in Florida, one in Georgia and two in Puerto Rico. Additionally, Moffitt is a member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, a prestigious alliance of the country’s leading cancer centers, and is listed in U.S. News & World Report as one of “America’s Best Hospitals” for cancer. Moffitt’s sole mission is to contribute to the prevention and cure of cancer.
About Working Mother Media
Working Mother magazine reaches 2 million readers and is the only national magazine for career-committed mothers; WorkingMother.com brings to the Web home and career information, advice and a broad range of solutions daily. This year marks the 25th anniversary of Working Mother’s signature research initiative, Working Mother 100 Best Companies, the most important benchmark for work-life practices in corporate America. Working Mother Media, a division of Bonnier Corp. (www.bonnier.com), includes the National Association for Female Executives (NAFE, www.nafe.com), Diversity Best Practices (www.diversitybestpractices.com), the WorkLife Congress and the Multicultural Women’s Conference and Leadership Summits. Working Mother Media’s mission is to serve as a champion of culture change.
###
