When your child is running a fever of 105, the bank is threatening to foreclose on your home or you’ve just learned an ailing parent is going to require full-time care, it can be a little tough to focus on what’s going on in the office. That’s why our Hall of Fame companies—22 powerhouses that have earned a place on our 100 Best list for 15 years or more—are so dedicated to work/life policy advancement. They know that happy employees yield happy returns, that innovation is as much about smart company policies as about shiny new products and that A-level recruitment and retention is about being a rock star of innovation. These are the stories of how work/life benefits at some of our Hall of Fame companies have come to the aid of working moms (and one working dad)—employees who, let’s face it, come to the aid of others every day.

2008 HALL OF FAME

Allstate Insurance
American Express
Bank of America
Baptist Health
South Florida
Citi
Deloitte
DuPont
Fannie Mae
Genentech
GlaxoSmithKline
HP
IBM
Johnson & Johnson
Lincoln Financial Group
Marriott International
Merck & Co.
Northern Trust
Patagonia
The Phoenix
Companies
Procter & Gamble
Prudential Financial
S.C. Johnson & Son

Allstate Insurance
While at work one day, I got a call from Allstate’s on-site child-care center—my 4-year-old daughter had a fever of 105. I rushed across the parking lot to pick her up and take her to her pediatrician. Knowing that my children are within arm’s reach in case I need to get to them right away gives me such reassurance. Plus, it makes my everyday life much easier: I don’t have to plan extra time to drop off or pick up my children at an off-site facility, not to mention I save on gas! 
—Catherine Karl, HR consultant, a 7-year employee

American Express
I was fresh out of college when I joined American Express. I wanted to get an MBA, but I also wanted to start my career and have a family—it was just a matter of timing. After my second son, Jack, was born and I was managing employees in our 24/7 Greensboro service center, I thought, The time is now. I continued to work full-time, take classes in the evenings and have two more children while in the MBA program—and continued to be a great mom and wife. Benefits like flex scheduling and tuition reimbursement made it not only possible but manageable. 
—Jackie Wilson, director, customer-care capabilities, an 18-year employee

Baptist Health South Florida
When I was facing foreclosure, Baptist Health South Florida’s Sunshine Fund helped me keep my house. In February 2007, I became a homeowner. As a single mother of three, I was so excited to be able to do that for my children and my disabled parents, who also live with me. A few months later, I underwent surgery, missed several months of work and fell behind on my mortgage payments. Then I found out about Baptist Health’s program that offers no-interest loans to employees with severe financial difficulties. The company came to my rescue by granting me a $5,000 loan, which I am repaying $100 at a time through each paycheck. I feel so fortunate to be part of such an amazing organization that helps its employees in times of crisis.
—Marta Rosario, RN, a 13-year employee

Citi
After years of juggling three kids, a two-and-a-half-hour round-trip commute and a full-time career in risk management, I was done. Cleaning dirty dishes and making plain cheese sandwiches was looking good. Then I got a call from Citi, a company that said, “We can help make your life work.” They suggested I telecommute. Knowing I was going to be there for the I-need-it-tomorrow school projects, soccer practice and routine dance-class runs made all the difference. But it proved invaluable when my mom’s battle with frontotemporal dementia reached the crisis stage, because I was able to telecommute from her residence and spend precious alone time with her before she passed away. I know I wouldn’t want to work anywhere else. 
—Christina Seibert, director, institutional client group policy and reporting, an 8-year employee

Deloitte
Motherhood or career? That’s the choice I thought I was facing with the birth of my daughter, Gabby, four years ago. Now, standing here as a principal of Deloitte Consulting, I think I can safely answer “both.” Thankfully, I participated in Deloitte’s Forward Track program—a yearlong series in which I was coached by female leaders on business development, executive presence, conflict management and other leadership skills. That mentoring helped me realize that I wasn’t alone in facing the challenges of motherhood. Now when I reach out to parents-to-be, the advice I give them is: Ask for what you need. Be the success story.
—Kelly Marchese, principal, Deloitte Consulting LLP, an 11-year employee

DuPont
I worked at DuPont for 17 years before I had my first child. Career had always taken center stage, so when my focus shifted, I wondered how I’d do both. DuPont made it possible: I’ve been able to contribute to a company that
I enjoy working for and be there for my children. Kids grow up so quickly, and I don’t want to miss their youth. Thanks to DuPont, I don’t have to, making me one of the most satisfied employees they have!  —Cheryl L. Mitchell, global brand representative for Teflon, a 28-year employee

Fannie Mae
I thought I was prepared—emotionally and financially—when I adopted my daughter, Nadya, from a Russian orphanage. But the stress of my 2-year-old’s initial silence plus unforeseen expenses kept me up at night and threatened my ability to be a good mom. That’s when Fannie Mae came to my rescue. The company reimburses adoption-related expenses up to $10,000 per child and provides four weeks of paid leave. Thanks to those benefits, Nadya got off to a great start. So did her 5-year-old brother, Andrey, whom I adopted last year from a different Russian orphanage!
—Tammy Trefny, affinity relationship manager, a 7-year employee

GlaxoSmithKline
GSK has been there for me at my most important milestones: When I was just starting my career at the company, thanks to one of the on-site clinics, I discovered I had Graves’ disease (hyperthyroidism). If not diagnosed, I could have died from a heart attack at the age of 29—so, in a way, I owe my life to GlaxoSmithKline. When my husband and I decided to start a family, GlaxoSmithKline had an on-site day care. In later years, the company provided elder-care assistance. Now that we are knee-deep in college tuition and retirement preparation, we’re taking advantage of the 401(k) plan. The financial perks of working here have been wonderful, but it’s the peace of mind the company has provided that I’ve found most valuable.
—Cindy Brown Ely, administrative assistant, respiratory portfolio marketing, a 19-year employee

IBM
At 5 months old, my son, Peter—suddenly limp, pale and struggling for air—was rushed to the hospital. He had respiratory syncytial virus. I had been about to board a plane for an important meeting, so my manager took my place, asking only that I check in to say how Peter was. The years following have been unpredictable and scary. But as Peter celebrates his third birthday this year, he is a happy little boy. My son’s doctors credit his good health to our care. I credit that to IBM, where work/life balance isn’t just a policy, it’s a culture. 
—Tess Stewart, project manager, IBM Software Group, a 7-year employee

Johnson & Johnson
Flexibility at Johnson & Johnson has given me the ability to successfully manage a job I love while actively participating in my children’s school and sports activities. Whether that means letting me work from home or be creative with my hours when needed, my supervisors have always provided an environment that allows me to balance the demanding schedules of my children with the equally demanding needs of my business partners. So I’ve never been forced to choose one over the other. 
—Linda Graszl, manager, sales/trade marketing finance, a 20-year employee

Marriott International
My third daughter, Mackenzie, was diagnosed with a brain tumor when she was just 17 months old. When I got the news, I fell to the floor in tears, unable to believe that my perfect, beautiful child was about to go through the fight of her life. My husband and I both work for Marriott, and we had the same boss. He told us unconditionally to take however much time off we needed. At various times during the treatment, we’ve taken extended leaves, worked remotely and modified our schedules. Through it all, we’ve gotten promotions. The support that we’ve received from our Marriott family—not only from those we knew but from those who’d heard our —is an amazing, precious gift.

Today, Mackenzie is doing great, and her tumor continues to shrink. As I keep striving to be the best I can be, I know my husband, children and employer are always there for me. 
—Erin Laughlin, general manager, Residence Inn Fairfax Merrifield, a 17-year employee

Merck & Co.
Working full-time, raising a family and going back to school for an MBA isn’t easy, but thanks to Merck’s flex policy and educational support, I’ve been able to play a leadership role in the Asia Pacific Employee Resource Group and bring my MBA dream to life. I was recently recognized by the Merck Women’s Network as a Most Amazing Woman. If that’s true, it’s because I’ve had the resources and tools I needed to integrate work and life. 
—Mabel Ju, project analytical chemist, an 8-year employee

Northern Trust
As the mom of three girls, I would have been lost without the corporate day-care center—which was the first of its kind in downtown Chicago. At one point, all of my daughters were in the building right across the street from where I worked, and it really helped to know I was so close to them. As my kids have grown, flexible work arrangements have made challenging schedule-keeping possible. I’ve been there for my girls without the extra stress of worrying. And that’s made a huge difference for me.
—Laura Corradetti Phelan, VP, desktop asset and lifecycle management, a 19-year employee

Patagonia 
Life was good. I was married with three children, two of whom grew up in Patagonia day care. But one night I awoke to a very strange feeling, and my wife rushed me to the ER. Doctors and nurses were scrambling around, and I knew something wasn’t good. Then I heard the cardiologist say “open-heart surgery.” Whoa, didn’t bargain for this. Three days later, lying in recovery from quadruple bypass surgery, I worried about something else: a two-month recuperation. That’s when the supportive emails and visits started. I was blown away by how many Patagonia employees made the 30-minute drive to the hospital. Thanks to the incredible support I had, I was able to come back within three weeks. A year later, I’m happy to report that once again life is good!
—Mike Mesko, director of sourcing, an 18-year employee

The Phoenix Companies
When I was pregnant with my daughter, now 7 years old, my doctor put me on bed rest. I panicked, but Phoenix allowed me to work from home. Then, when I delivered my twins, now 3, I asked for a six-month leave when one of my sons had to have surgery. The flexibility Phoenix provided during that crisis proved invaluable. Today, everyone is happy and healthy, and I remain sane thanks to my four-day-a-week schedule. And flextime allows me to be a “room mom” at my daughter’s school.
—Linda Alaimo, director of information technology, a 13-year employee

Procter & Gamble
P&G has been incredibly flexible in providing what I need to contribute fully despite being legally blind. Everyone, from peers up to top management, is supportive in making this a great place to work, and I have always felt the focus is on the results I achieve, not my disability. —Kelly Schlafman, systems manager, health-care innovation, a 10-year employee

Prudential Financial
After my dad suffered a debilitating stroke, he endured months of rehabilitation at a long-term-care facility. When he was further injured by a fall there, my family and I began taking shifts to supplement his care. That’s when I called on Prudential’s backup-care program, which provides employees with 80 hours of care annually at their loved one’s location. Now a licensed home health aide helps us care for my father, and I’m able to focus more at work. And thanks in part to this program, my father was able (with assistance) to walk my sister down the aisle on her wedding day. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room.
—Maryanne Ciniglio, compliance analyst, a 16-year employee

S.C. Johnson & Son
I refer to it as my “challenging” year. Within four months, I lost my brother-in-law and father-in-law. Shortly after, I discovered I was expecting my fourth child. I already had a full plate managing a full-time career and three very active little boys. I felt overwhelmed at the thought of bringing another baby into the mix. An ultrasound later revealed that I was actually having twins. At 28 weeks I was put on bed rest, and six weeks later I delivered two healthy babies—a boy and a girl. From the time I announced my pregnancy, my manager worked with me to determine alternatives to my work schedule. I took an extended maternity leave, as both infants required daily therapy, and it soon became clear that working full-time wasn’t feasible. Thanks to the management team at S.C. Johnson, I’m able to return to work on a part-time basis—a benefit that will forever make me a loyal employee. 
—Kristi Peterson, senior accounting manager, a 10-year employee