Sandy is from Lakeside, CA, and mom to Careth (36), John (31), Josh (30), Christopher (29), Scott (26), Zack (26), Heather (22), Ana (15), Karla (13), Vanessa (10) and Yessenia (9).

After raising seven children of their own, Sandra Boller-Bilbrey and her husband, Chris, felt coming home to an empty house every day was “boring and uninspiring,” so last March the couple made a life-changing decision to adopt four children. Now their lives are filled with constant chaos — and they love it!

The Bilbreys decided to adopt four sisters  — Ana, 15; Karla, 13; Vanessa, 10; and Yessenia, 9 — after seeing them photographed with San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers in a calendar put out by San Diego County Adoptions.

Early on in the 18-month adoption process, Sandra shared her decision to adopt the girls with her supervisors and colleagues and was thrilled with the abundance of support she received. The organization offered up an array of services, including a $2,000 adoption credit, extended leave, and an adoption support group. But importantly, the 25-year employee was given the flexibility she needed with her job as the director of the Scripps alcohol and drug treatment program to juggle her new family commitments.

“Everyone one I worked with at Scripps was incredibly supportive and excited for us. It felt like Scripps had adopted the girls, too,” recalls Sandra.

In addition to working a full-time job, Sandra’s days are now filled with softball practices, homework, and trips to the pediatrician, dentist and orthodontist. Sandra credits her success as a working mom to her caring husband and the extra support she receives from her extended family. “We have gotten really good at hand-offs and communicating daily activities to each other.”

Despite the extra work — and oftentimes mayhem —that fills her waking hours, Sandra says she wouldn’t have it any other way: “Now have 40 extra fingers to help me around the house and I get extra good night kisses every night.”

 

In 2010, women earned 75% of all promotions at Scripps Health.

In 2010, this West Coast healthcare system spent $2.9 million on a comprehensive wellness program that helps moms stave off stress, weight gain and illness—and triumph over tough times. Every month, 300 workers visit its employee health-care clinic at Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego, which charges them less than $10 to tend to basic medical issues and job-related injuries and remains open weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Another center opened at Green Hospital in La Jolla, CA, this past April.) Mothers exercise at eight on-site fitness facilities and work with health coaches to shed pounds and manage chronic conditions and diseases. Anyone who needs emotional support can access free, unlimited psychological counseling.

President & CEO Chris Van Gorder

Corporate Senior VP, HR, Performance Management & Innovation Vic Buzachero

Women managers/execs 65% 

Women among top earners 77% 

Women hires in 2010 73% 

Average weeks of fully paid maternity leave offered 6 

Allows new moms to “phase back” into work with reduced hours? Yes

Offers affinity group for new mothers? No

Offers backup childcare? Yes

Employees working flexibly 80%

In 2009, Scripps Health began offering employees free access to SitterCity, a database of pre-screened babysitters, caregivers and nannies.

Last year this health-care system doled out $3.9 million in bonuses to employees through its Success Shares incentive program. Tuition aid of up to $1,500 annually helps moms take job-related courses, while scholarships of up to $7,000 support their college-bound kids. The on-site MBA program at the main San Diego campus can help make it possible to get that degree and nab high-paying work–and women currently earn 74% of the top salaries here. Free financial seminars such as "Moving Forward in a Difficult Economy" reduce stress, as does free financial counseling. By lowering benefits eligibility to 12 hours of work per week from 20, management just extended health insurance to more employees. Those actively participating in the system's wellness programs get their premiums covered for a year; right now, 33% of employees enjoy a free ride.

President & CEO Chris Van Gorder

Corporate SVP, Innovation, HR & Performance Management Victor Buzachero

Women managers, senior managers and corporate execs 67%

Women among top earners 77%

Women on board of directors 36%

Women corporate executive hires in 2009 50%

Women participating in management or leadership training in the past year* 4%

Women participating in formalized executive succession planning last year* 0%

Women promoted last year who utilized a formal flexible work arrangement 79%  

Do formal compensation policies reward managers who help women advance? No

 

*Percentages reflect number of women participants versus company’s total female workforce.

Scripps employees are pampered with six free chair massages per year.

This San Diego, CA, health-care system employs a Life Cycle approach to careers that allows its 86% female workforce to adjust their job responsibilities as family needs change. With five hospitals and 21 clinics and outpatient centers, employees seeking less demanding work or proximity to home can easily transfer to other sites; last year, three quarters of those who did so were women. Flextime and compressed hours are used by 80% of workers. Anyone logging 16 hours per week now earns health benefits—down from 20 hours in 2007. Employees vote on which flex schedules their department should use, but human resources and management will fine-tune arrangements in unique situations. Anyone desiring more than six weeks of unpaid leave can resign and be reinstated in the same or a similar position up to a year later, with no effect on benefits accrued.

President & CEO: Chris Van Gorder

Corporate Senior VP, HR: Victor Buzachero

Women managers/execs: 69%

Women among top earners: 74%

Women on board of directors: 36%

Women corporate executive hires in 2008: 40%

Women participating in management or leadership training in the past year: 76%

Women participating in formalized executive succession planning last year: 76%

Women promoted last year who utilized a formal flexible work arrangement: 35%

Formal compensation policies reward managers who help women advance: Yes