For 8th Year, Magazines Honor AmEx for Making Life Easier for Working Parents

Sept. 7, 2006

For the 8th consecutive year, AESC-Greensboro has been honored by Carolina Parenting magazines (Carolina Parent, Charlotte Parent, and Piedmont Parent) as one of the Top 40 North Carolina companies that excels in its commitment to family-friendly policies.

As Carolina Parenting states on its Web site, "This 'Family-Friendly 40' is always impressive because of the ways in which they help working parents achieve a balance between work and life."

The magazine editors describe the "Family-Friendly Top 40" list with these words: "As every working parent knows, balancing a successful work life with a positive home and family life can be a challenge.

"Children always wake up with ear infections on the same day as the big presentation before top management. Elderly parents frequently need care at exactly the same time as the championship soccer game. And the telephone call often comes from the boss as the car is being packed for a family weekend at the beach.

"But, for many fortunate employees, 40 companies in
North Carolina are making life easier with family-friendly policies that create a positive outcome for everyone. From major corporations with more than 50,000 employees to the corner shop with just three on the payroll, these employers are creating win-win situations. "Each year,

Carolina Parenting recognizes those companies statewide who are going the extra mile in providing family-friendly policies. To achieve this designation, a company must be nominated by an employee or employer. Applications are sent to the management department in the Belk College of Business at UNC-Charlotte, where a committee selects the winners based on a combination of compelling testimonials and overall family-friendly benefits. Annually, we are impressed with the quality of the companies and the personal testimonies given by dedicated employees. This year was no different."

As part of the nomination process to be considered for this recognition, Arne O'Brien, a project team leader in the Credit Risk Group, wrote a testimonial on how American Express' family-friendly benefits have helped him and his family balance work and life. The Carolina Parenting Web site includes the following information about Arne:

“Arne ... and his wife, Sharon, adopted a son, Devon , after a two-year adoption process. Throughout that time, the company allowed O'Brien to alter his work schedule to attend meetings with counselors, attorneys and prospective birth mothers. When Devon was born, O'Brien was allowed to take additional time off from work.

"American Express also offers adoption assistance grants, and the company awarded $2,000 to the O'Brien family.

The company also offers onsite child-care services during inclement weather. 'Without these types of work/life assistance from American Express and its leaders, our life as parents of a young boy would be completely different,' says O'Brien.

"Other benefits include health, dental and vision coverage; tuition reimbursement; scholarships for children; backup child care; school holiday child care; child-care resources; teen programs; elder care resources; flextime; part-time work; job sharing; paid maternity leave; an employee-assistance program; wellness program; mentoring program; and work/life issues task force."