Ernst & Young LLP Named Among the 2010 Top Ten Companies for Working Mothers

NEW YORK, Sept. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Working Mother Media has selected Ernst & Young LLP 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—companies like Ernst & Young LLP have been instrumental in supporting their advancement.

"Working moms and dads make up a large part of our workforce and we work hard to support their success both at work and at home," noted Billie Williamson, Americas Inclusiveness Officer, Ernst & Young LLP.  "We are proud to be named to the Best Companies list for 13 years in a row. We understand the importance of flexibility and inclusiveness and we know that fostering a family-friendly culture will only continue to help us attract, engage and retain the very best and brightest talent."

The 100 Best Companies' family programs adeptly help employees in all areas of their lives. Ernst & Young LLP constantly seeks feedback on how to improve culture and work/life programs.  Among other benefits, Ernst & Young offers a generous parental leave package for both mothers and fathers, personal financial planning, college coaching, a comprehensive employee assistance and counseling program, and four-day weekends around major holidays.  In addition, Ernst & Young emphasizes the importance of day-to-day flexibility to help all people manage their personal and professional lives.  This past spring, Ernst & Young's Global Chairman and CEO, James S. Turley, participated in the first-ever White House Forum on Workplace Flexibility.

While the Working Mother 100 Best Companies continue expanding their benefits, 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 workforce 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 workforce, 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: workforce 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 Ernst & Young

Ernst & Young is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. Worldwide, our 144,000 people are united by our shared values and an unwavering commitment to quality. We make a difference by helping our people, our clients and our wider communities achieve their potential.

For more information, please visit www.ey.com

Ernst & Young refers to the global organization of member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. This press release is issued by Ernst & Young LLP, a member firm providing services to clients in the US.

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.

National statistics are taken from a recent study by the Society for Human Resource Management.

SOURCE Ernst & Young LLP