March of Dimes on Working Mother's 100 Best Companies List

Nonprofit Has a Long History of Raising Standards for Working Parents

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., Sept. 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Although it's only been on Working Mother Media's 100 Best Companies for two years, the March of Dimes has a long history of influencing women's ability to balance work and life.

"The March of Dimes is honored to be part of this 25th Anniversary and the fact that a nonprofit with limited resources can make this prestigious list two years in a row shows that any company truly dedicated to supporting mothers, families and healthy childbearing can make a difference for its employees," said Dr. Jennifer L. Howse, president of the March of Dimes. "Throughout the years, March of Dimes has recommended – and offered – policies and benefits that promote the health of babies and mothers."

"We are pleased to count March of Dimes as one of the 2010 Working Mother 100 Best Companies," said Carol Evans, president, Working Mother Media. "Employees care deeply about the work they do at this nonprofit, which supports preconception and prenatal care and baby health. To honor fathers' participation in their infants' lives, March of Dimes increased paid paternity leave last year from one week to two, while mothers can take 26 job-guaranteed weeks off after the birth of a child, with six at full pay."

Among the benefits the March of Dimes offers are: 

• New moms are eligible to receive up to 6 weeks of regular pay while maintaining one week of illness days for the future
• 100 percent medical coverage for all maternity and childbirth expenses; no-cost well-child care through age 18; no-cost annual physicals for adults
• Salary continuation plan for short-term disability
• Sick pay of 10 days per year, which can be used for child/dependent illness; Days can accrue over time
• Mothers at Work Program prenatal kits; breast pumps, and lactation services
• Adoption benefit of $5,000
• Flex-time, part-time and compressed work weeks
• Work from home and telecommuting
• Employee Assistance Program
• Immediate medical coverage on the first day of employment for expectant moms or the significant others of expectant moms
• Paid time off (2 weeks) for new dads/significant others for the birth of a child and an additional paid week off if their newborn requires a NICU
• Paid time off (1 week) for adoption or foster care placement of a child 
• Extended parental leave of absence, up to six months of unpaid leave for a birth, adoption or foster care placement. Expectant moms may request two weeks of this leave prior to the delivery date, even if it isn't medically indicated

Even before Working Mother began its list, the March of Dimes offered "Babies and You," which began in 1982 and was the precursor to Healthy Babies, Healthy Business®. Established in 1993, Health Babies, Healthy Business is a no-cost worksite wellness program that provides print and online-based material to help educate women about how to prepare for pregnancy and reduce their risk of premature birth. It also helps businesses control childbearing expenses, often the largest expense in a health care plan. 

Also, for nearly 20 years, the March of Dimes has been a leader in expanding employees' benefits. Many of the benefits now offered, such as expanded coverage for NICU care, well-baby care and genetic counseling first were offered in 1992.

Profiles of the 100 Best Companies, as well as national comparisons, are in the October issue of Working Mother and at workingmother.com.

Working Mother magazine reaches 2.2 million mothers and is the only national magazine for career-committed mothers, while workingmother.com brings to the Web a broad range of insight and solutions served to working mothers every day. Working Mother's 25-year signature research initiative, Working Mother 100 Best Companies, is the most important benchmark for work-life practices in corporate America. With offices in New York and Washington, D.C., Working Mother Media, a division of Bonnier Corp., includes the National Association for Female Executives, (NAFE) Diversity Best Practices, the WorkLife Congress and the Multicultural Women's Conference and Town Halls. Working Mother Media's mission is to champion cultural change.

The March of Dimes was also named to the 2010 NAFE Top 50 Companies and 10 Nonprofits for Executive Women. The list recognizes organizations whose policies and practices encourage women's advancement.

The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. With chapters nationwide, the March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. For the latest resources and information, visit marchofdimes.com or nacersano.org.

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. 

SOURCE March of Dimes