(Canton, OH) September 12, 2019 – United Way of Greater Stark County’s Women United will present MAC Trailer, CommQuest Services and The Karcher Group with the Family-Friendly Workplace Awards for 2019.
The third-annual event will recognize awardees on Thursday, October 10, 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. The luncheon will take place in the Kent State University at Stark Conference Center.
The awards recognize organizations in three categories, based on the number of workplace employees: 500+ employees, 50-499 employees, and 1-49 employees.
500+ employees: MAC Trailer. MAC Trailer provides a holistic supportive work environment for employees from their initial hiring through retirement. One of the main family-friendly programs is a wrap-around support system that begins with assessments of all employees, to identify potential barriers that “could” arise, and setting contingency plans in place. This program includes an on-site health and wellness clinic partnership with Aultman Hospital and support services provided by Alliance for Children and Families. This program addresses physical and mental health situations, transportation, food insecurity, grief and assistance with social service needs. Other family-friendly workplace practices include: hiring and promotion of women in nontraditional roles (welding, warehousing, and plant management); generous policies for quality medical care during pregnancy; areas for nursing moms to pump; and annual on-site celebrations for employees and their families.
50-499 employees: CommQuest Services. CommQuest offers many family-friendly programs: flexible working schedules; benefit packages for full-time employees that includes a health care plan through AultCare, dental and vision benefits, a 403b plan, long-term disability and life insurance; paid time off; and sick time (up to 480 hours can be accrued), which acts as an internal short-term disability at 100% pay for up to 12 weeks. Recently, the organization started a paid-time-off (PTO) and Sick Time donation program, that enables staff to donate time unused to other employees dealing with illness or pregnancy.
1-49 employees: The Karcher Group. The Karcher Group employees benefit from the following family-friendly practices: flexible working schedule; work from home; paid maternity and paternity leave; health saving accounts (HSA) and healthcare benefits for employees and families; three-day all-expenses-paid camping trip for all employees and their families to Salt Fork State Park; and prom committee activities throughout the year (some employee only and some including families, such as – pumpkin farm visits, putt-putt golf, arcades, movies and office lunches).
The awards event will also feature proclamations from the office of Governor Mike DeWine for current workplace award winners.
2018 winners were Employers Health, TimkenSteel and Schauer Group; and 2017 winners were Aultman Health Foundation and Domestic Violence Project.
“This year’s winners demonstrate how employers benefit by offering family-friendly policies. They serve as models for workplaces throughout Stark County who are struggling to hire and retain employees, particularly hourly employees. Our speaker is an expert in proven, cost-effective solutions for reducing turnover and improving employee commitment,” says Amy Mast, Chair of United Way of Greater Stark County’s Women United. “Attendees are welcome to stay after the program to join an informal discussion with the speaker.”
Meghan Cummings, Executive Director of the Women’s Fund of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation is the keynote speaker for the event. Meghan will present top-line concrete actions from their Employer Toolkit that can help turn your vicious cycle of turnover into a virtuous one. Janelle Lee, an economic development consultant for the Strengthening Stark Economic Competitiveness Plan in Stark County, will speak about the value of workplaces responding to the needs of today’s workforce.
Registration for the event is available at www.uwstark.org/family-friendly-initiative
About Women United
In
each community they serve, Women United tackles the issues that matter most to the
people who call it home. They are a community of like-minded women who
contribute their personal passions, inspired ideas, and unique strengths to the
mission of building stronger communities. They create opportunities to network
and collaborate with key business and community leaders at exclusive events. Learn
more about the key issues impacting our community, advocate at the local and
state level and become part of meaningful, global progress with Women United. Advocate
for key community issues at the local and state level. More information is available at www.uwstark.org/women-united
About United Way of
Greater Stark County
United
Way of Greater Stark County fights for the health, education and financial stability
of every person in every community. We win by living United. By forging
unlikely partnerships. By finding new solutions to old problems. By mobilizing
the best resources. And by inspiring individuals to join the fight against
their community’s most daunting social crisis. Our mission is to improve lives
by mobilizing the caring power of our communities in Greater Stark County. In
order to live better, we must live United. For more information about United
Way of Greater Stark County visit
www.uwstark.org. Offices are at 401 Market
Avenue North, Suite 300, Canton, Ohio 44702. (330) 491-0445.