Image Border - Irish Business and employers confederation

14
Appendix 5:
Examples from Best USA
Companies
14.1 Allstate Insurance Company
Many of Allstate's 37,000-plus employees can tap into flex
options like telecommuting, job-sharing, compressed
workweeks and flexi-time. The insurer also adjusted its paidtime-off
policy, now allowing hourly employees to take partial
days off. Employees have access to four on- or near-site
childcare centres that look after more than 170 kids, as well as
10% discounts at other national childcare providers.
14.2 American Express
In 2004, Amex spent $572,290 on childcare resources, up from
$336,885 in 2003. Some 2,600 children benefited from backup
care alone: Parents have access to a childcare centre at the
headquarters or a re-imbursement of up to $75 per
emergency.
14.3 Bank of America
In 2004, the firm increased paid parental leave to eight weeks
(from six weeks for new mothers and from two weeks for new
fathers and adoptive parents) at Bank of America. To reach
the maximum number of families, there are childcare centres
at the headquarters and in Jacksonville, FL, and discounts at
national back-up centres, supplemented by $87 to $175 in
monthly childcare re-imbursements, available to workers who
make less than $34,000 per year.
14.4 Citigroup
Citigroup mothers and fathers can make use of seven on-site
full-time and three back-up care facilities, most of which offer
sliding-scale fees and free overtime. And 10% discounts at
national day-care chains are available to all U.S. employees. As
for maternity leave, Citigroup gives a generous 13 paid weeks
off, a benefit that was standardized for all business units in
2004. When mothers return, if management approves, they
can phase back into their jobs and flex their hours or work
from home.
14.5 DuPont
The firm makes flexitime widely available. Last year, more
than half of DuPont's 28,000 full-time employees took
advantage of it. And the company's on-site childcare centre
looks after about 50 infants, toddlers and pre-schoolers. When
a crunch week demands extra hours at the office, the centre
at headquarters provides extended hours and back-up care.
Parent support services at headquarters include health fairs
and family nights in which employees and their kids
participate in company-sponsored activities. Recently, local
police talked about keeping kids safe and fingerprinted
children to assist authorities in the event of an abduction.
In addition to 26 weeks of maternity leave - with eight weeks
fully paid - employees can take a six-month unpaid family
leave for paternity, adoption, placement of a foster child or to
care for a sick family member.
14.6 Hewlett-Packard Company
Face-time with the boss isn't a requirement at Hewlett-
Packard, where 23,000 employees have children under the age
of 12 and flexibility is a business imperative. In 2004, more
than 65% of HP's staff flexed their hours. Others shared jobs
and compressed their schedules.
14.7 IBM Corporation
Last year, the company introduced a number of flex options to
every business department worldwide, including work-athome
and telecommuting options. Parents can tap IBM's
premier parental leave benefits: New mothers get six weeks
fully paid, and new fathers get two. All new parents also get
full health benefits for extended unpaid leave (up to 156
weeks, job-guaranteed.)
page 41