WEST VIRGINIA RECORD

MORGANTOWN -- West Virginia University Hospitals has once again been recognized nationally as an employer of choice by two prominent groups.

For the third consecutive year, Working Mother magazine selected WVU Hospitals as one of its 100 Best Companies for working mothers. For the fourth year in a row, AARP selected WVU Hospitals as one of 50 honorees that received the group's Best Employer for Workers Over 50 Award.

"We value all of our employees, and these designations recognize our efforts to accommodate two significant groups within our workforce," said WVU Hospitals President and CEO Bruce McClymonds.

Working mothers comprise about 25 percent of the hospital's workforce. In presenting the award to WVU Hospitals, Working Mother magazine praised the flexible work schedules and benefits programs. Employees have the opportunity to change their work hours through flextime, compressed work schedules, part-time hours, job-sharing and telecommuting. Also medical, prescription and dental benefits are offered to both full and part-time staff.

The hospital has an onsite Child Development Center as a daycare option for employees. The Center serves 177 children between the ages of six weeks to 10 years. It provides traditional daycare services, back-up care, before- and after-school care for school-age children, as well as holiday and school break care for school-age children.

Some financial assistance is offered to employees who use other childcare services, and scholarships are available for children of hospital employees.

For 22 years Working Mother magazine has celebrated employers whose benefit packages – from flexible schedules and childcare services to innovative leave policies for new parents – are helping redefine workplace standards across the nation.

"Every year our winning companies raise the bar for what it means to be an employer of choice for working families," said Carol Evans, CEO of Working Mother Media.

Founded in 1979, Working Mother magazine reaches nearly three million readers and is the only national magazine for career mothers. The complete list of the 2007 Working Mother 100 Best Companies is at www.workingmother.com.

This is the fourth year in a row for WVU Hospitals to be honored by the AARP as an employer of choice. The group created the annual list of the top 50 employers to recognize innovative and thoughtful approaches that address the needs of an aging workforce. About 20 percent of employees at WVU Hospitals are 50 years or older.

"I am proud to say that WVU Hospitals is a great place to work for people of all ages, but we truly value the wisdom and experience of our older workforce," said Charlotte Bennett, vice president of Human Resources at WVU Hospitals. "We actively recruit and seek opportunities to retain this valuable group of employees that have not only historically contributed to our success, but who will also be a vital part of our future success."

Nurses who have been out of the workforce can take a Registered Nurse Refresher Program and return to work at the hospital. The hospital also celebrates service anniversaries and works with employees who are close to retirement by offering flexible work schedules.

AARP was founded in 1958 by a retired school principal who wanted to promote "productive aging." AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization for people over 50. AARP provides information to and advocacy for its 39 million members in order to enhance their quality of life as they age.