The School at Work program at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics pays hourly employees their usual wages to attend its career-enhancing and functional skills courses; they also receive mentors and coaches.

Excellent training programs aren’t the only things helping to propel hourly workers toward the top at this academic medical center. They can also increase their fortunes by taking advantage of its free financial counseling, pretax dependent care and health care accounts (which allow them to stash up to $5,000 and $7,500 per year) and affordable backup care aimed at kids, adults and elder relatives. Generous tuition aid helps them pay for 15 academic credits per year.

President and CEO: Donna Katen-Bahensky

Senior VP, HR: Janice Bultema

Work hours required for family health insurance: 12

Formal advancement program offered for hourly employees? --

% of hourly employees promoted to manager positions: --

Job-skills training offered for hourly employees? Yes

Managers rewarded for helping hourly employees advance? Yes

Lactation program offered for nursing mother employees? Yes

Paid time off offered to employees? Yes

Employee mothers with one year of service offered extra time off (beyond the 12 weeks required by FMLA) following childbirth? Yes