Skipping your vacation to work is not an option at this academic medical center, which takes the health of its hourly employees seriously. Anyone who works 20 hours per week receives ten to 20 paid days off, plus 13 sick days and nine paid holidays annually. To encourage a “use it or lose it” mentality, the center automatically rescinds banked vacation once it surpasses 480 hours. As an incentive to stay well, workers may trade their unused sick days for cash or roll them over as vacation once a year. Should they need it, employees can access exemplary medical care on-site, as well as health coaching, nutrition counseling, weight-loss programs and vaccinations. Eight “service teams” strive to improve everyone’s physical and mental health by passing out walking maps, hosting farmers’ markets and organizing book clubs, museum tours and hiking and rafting trips. An annual employee wellness fair, held during work hoursoffers info on day-care providers, inexpensive gym programs, financial services, tuition aid and health, dental and vision plans. Parents rely on child-care resource and referral and corporate discounts at local providers. The employee assistance program offers emotional support and substance abuse counseling for teens and tweens; for parents, there are peer groups and guidance on finding elder care and services for children with special needs (everything from autism to ADHD).

Hourly workers 92%

CEO Stephen McKernan

HR Administrator James Pendergast

Female hourly workers 78%

Work hours required for family health insurance 20

Job skills training during work hours for hourly workers Yes

Encourage breaks so nursing moms can breast-pump Yes

Average annual paid time off taken by hourly workers 23 days

Minimum job-guaranteed maternity leave offered to hourly workers 24 weeks

Minimum paid maternity leave offered to hourly workers None

“Spanish for Medical Personnel” classes and medical interpreter training at UNM Hospitals help boost hourly workers’ marketable skills.

Promoting women is a no-brainer for this academic medical center, where an impressive 90% of managers and supervisors are female. Working an hourly position doesn’t preclude future advancement: In fact, the vast majority of those workers moving into staff management jobs previously held such schedules. Hourly employees (nurses, respiratory therapists) can boost their salaries and improve their chances for professional success by signing up for the Clinical Advancement program, which adds $1.50 to $5 per hour to their base pay when they meet career and educational requirements. Moms who work at least 20 hours per week are eligible for tuition reimbursements that cover 18 to 24 college credits annually (and the courses do not have to be job-related). Hourly workers can also take up to six hours off each week to attend classes without impacting their benefits. If they need to renew a professional license, certification or registration, they may request 20 to 40 hours off each year with pay to do so. Impressively, 80% of the organization’s training and development budget goes to hourly employees, with leadership retreats for those in top roles. Health insurance, pretax dependent-care accounts, ten paid vacation days and 13 paid sick days are all available each year to those meeting the 20-hour minimum. Hourly workers can also access the discounts offered by seven child-care companies in the area (many of whom waive registration fees). Mothers-to-be can take 12 unpaid job-guaranteed weeks off once the baby comes and rely on free vaccinations for their little one when they return.

Hourly Workers 92%

HSC VP Hospital Operations Steve McKernan

HR Administrator Jim Pendergast

Hourly workers that are female 78%

Work hours required for family health insurance 20

Job skills training for hourly employees Yes

Average paid sick leave taken by hourly workers 4 days

Average paid vacation leave taken by hourly workers 15 days

Job-guaranteed maternity leave for hourly workers 12 weeks

Paid maternity leave for hourly workers None