Working Mother Magazine Names Union Pacific a Top Company
September 25 2006 - 1:59PM
PR Newswire (US)
For the Fifth Time, UP is Recognized as a Top Company for Working
Mothers OMAHA, Neb., Sept. 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Working
Mother magazine announced that it has again named Union Pacific one
of the nation's 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers. Working
Mother has included North America's largest railroad for the fifth
time in six years. "We are thrilled that Working Mother has
recognized our efforts to create a culture that helps employees
balance work and families," said Barb Schaefer, senior vice
president-Human Resources for Union Pacific. "We are in the midst
of a hiring campaign, and as we continue to hire new employees
across our 23-state system, we are making every effort to foster an
environment that will attract and retain working parents."
Compensation, advancement, flexibility, childcare, parental leave
and work/life balance are all high priorities for the railroad. As
a 24/7 operation, Union Pacific takes extra measures to take care
of its employees. Benefits include: * An integrated health and
wellness initiative that stresses healthy lifestyles. UP employees
are urged to take responsibility for their health and can take part
in company-sponsored smoking cessation programs, weight management
programs and fitness programs. * "Plan Tomorrow, Today," a
financial literacy campaign introduced in 2006 to simplify
communication about retirement benefits. * Rest Easy, which pays
half the cost of a nurse to go to an employee's home if a child or
dependent is sick. * LifeCare Services, a 24/7 referral service to
help employees find information, support programs and referral
services for children and elder care. * A 19,000-square-foot
state-of-the-art fitness facility within the railroad's
headquarters in downtown Omaha. The facility includes 50 strength
training machines and 50 aerobic machines supervised by American
College of Sports Medicine certified staff. Free membership is
provided to employees, spouses, retirees and contractors. For
employees outside of Omaha, UP sponsors free membership at more
than 500 facilities throughout its 23-state system. * A $5 million,
20,000-square-foot childcare center near headquarters. The center
opened in 2005 and can accommodate approximately 200 children
between the ages of six weeks and six years. * Expanded special
programming from LEAD (Lead, Educate, Achieve, Develop), the
railroad's women's networking group, delivered to the field via
tapes and teleconferences. * Part-time work (while keeping their
benefits), flextime, job sharing and telecommuting. "It is
important to realize that it is not enough for companies to have
work/life programs; we measure the success of these programs," said
Suzanne Riss, Editor-in-Chief of Working Mother magazine. "We track
whether employees use them, and whether the programs are getting
better each year. Union Pacific has risen to our challenge." In
surveying companies that applied for this year's list, Working
Mother gave particular weight to questions in two areas: flexible
scheduling, the most critical benefit for working mothers; and
leave time, because it is essential for parents to be able to take
time off from work. The complete list of the Working Mother 100
Best Companies can be found at http://www.workingmother.com/ and
will be profiled in the October issue of Working Mother magazine.
About Working Mother Founded in 1979, Working Mother magazine
reaches nearly 3 million readers and is the only national magazine
for career-committed mothers. Its 21-year signature initiative, the
Working Mother 100 Best Companies, is the most important benchmark
for work/life practices in corporate America. About Union Pacific
Union Pacific Corporation owns one of America's leading
transportation companies. Its principal operating company, Union
Pacific Railroad, links 23 states in the western two-thirds of the
country and serves the fastest-growing U.S. population centers.
Union Pacific's diversified business mix includes Agricultural
Products, Automotive, Chemicals, Energy, Industrial Products and
Intermodal. The railroad offers competitive long-haul routes from
all major West Coast and Gulf Coast ports to eastern gateways.
Union Pacific connects with Canada's rail systems and is the only
railroad serving all six major gateways to Mexico, making it North
America's premier rail franchise. DATASOURCE: Union Pacific
Corporation CONTACT: Shannon Sherman, +1-402-514-9423, for Union
Pacific Corporation
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