10 Tips to Support Working Mothers

		ALLSTATE HONORED AS A TOP COMPANY FOR WORKING MOMS Braeden, 18 months and Alexis, 10, watch as mom Brenda Brinson prepares a morning snack before leaving for work. Brinson, assistant vice president of technology at Allstate and mother of three, still finds time to balance work and family responsibilities because of her flexible work arrangements and the on-site programs at Allstate that encourage the advancement of women. Brinson's son, Braeden, is currently enrolled at the Allstate on-site Little Hands Day Care Center in Northbrook, IL. (PRNewsFoto)[AS] NORTHBROOK, IL USA

Allstate Honored Again As a Top Company For Working Moms NORTHBROOK, Ill., Sept. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Working Mother Magazine honored Allstate for the 12th consecutive year as a top company for working mothers in its annual list of the "100 Best Companies for Working Mothers." (Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020924/CGTU021 ) "In a year in which the phrase 'innovative business solutions' has become synonymous with 'corporate accounting scandals,' it's great to honor companies truly committed to the needs and values of working parents," says Working Mother Editor-in-Chief, Jill Kirschenbaum. Carol Evans, CEO of Working Mother Media, adds that "post-September 11, work/life initiatives have taken on even greater importance with programs from employee assistance to telecommuting." "We want to make certain that our employees have the tools and training to be successful and a work environment that enables them to effectively serve our customers, " said Joan M. Crockett, Senior Vice President, Human Resources of Allstate Insurance Company. "At Allstate, best practices in the work environment benefit not only working mothers, but all employees." 10 Tips to Support Working Mothers -- Leverage the diversity in your work place. Diversity is essential, especially when you serve a diverse customer base. Allstate respects and values the ideas that a diverse workforce brings to the table. -- Offer flexibility - it is often the deciding factor that attracts and enables talented employees, especially working mothers, to be as productive as possible while balancing work and personal obligations. -- Support employees in handling the stresses of day to day life with a range of services, such as on-site convenience stores, postal services, photo developing, dry cleaning, banking and/or ATMs, on-site oil changes, take-home meals and catering services, or even therapeutic massage. -- Understand that each employee has a different set of needs. An on-site day care center may be beneficial to one mother but another may prefer to use her own day care provider. Allstate offers discounts to employees for two national day care providers. -- Have programs in place that encourage the advancement of women. On-site education, mentoring, tuition reimbursement and similar programs are very important for working mothers looking to move up the corporate ladder. -- Offer expanded flexibility to employees through technology. At Allstate, employees are able to view their benefits and compensation online, take classes online, access advice and referrals for personal work/life issues and even shop online. -- Offer support for new parents. Allstate employees are eligible for up to 32 weeks of job-guaranteed time off. In 2001, more than 570 full-time and part-time women employees took advantage of this benefit. Employees in whom you have invested time and money can still remain with the company and care for their newborns. -- Constantly measure the effectiveness of programs and initiatives, through surveys and other feedback processes, to ensure that they continue to meet the needs of employees. -- Be involved in the community. Working mothers as well as other employees feel good about their company when it contributes to charitable organizations. -- Get senior leadership support. Creating an effective and inclusive work environment and ensuring the advancement of women begins and ends with the commitment of senior leadership. The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation's largest publicly held personal lines insurer. Widely known through the "You're In Good Hands With Allstate(R)" slogan, Allstate provides insurance products to more than 16 million households and has approximately 12,500 exclusive agents and financial specialists in the U.S. and Canada. Customers can access Allstate products and services through Allstate agents, or in select states at allstate.com and 1-800-Allstate(SM). Encompass(SM) and Deerbrook(R) Insurance brand property and casualty products are sold exclusively through independent agents. Allstate Financial Group includes the businesses that provide life insurance, retirement and investment products, through Allstate agents, workplace marketing, independent agents, banks and securities firms. Photos of Allstate working mothers are available on Allstate's online newsroom at http://www.allstate.com . For interviews or additional information please call 847-402-5600.