http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/business/2113868Mothers want flexibility most
Magazine lists best companies for working moms
By ANUSHA SHRIVASTAVA
Associated Press
NEW YORK -- When Cindy Clark's 7-year-old son was diagnosed with leukemia and for months required daily injections and medicines, Clark didn't have to quit her job in sales at Ikea to take care of him. The furniture company gave her six months leave.
"The freedom my company allows workers to have in their personal schedules is conducive to my idea of a good company to work for," said Clark, who has had a 3-day work week at Ikea in Plymouth Meeting, Pa., since Ryan was born. "I felt comfortable stepping away from my spot because I knew I could come back to it."
This type of support helped Ikea get a spot among the top 100 companies for working moms in Working Mother magazine's 18th annual survey, published in its October issue, which hits newsstands today.
"These companies are very committed to work/life programs for their employees despite the tough economic conditions," says Jill Kirschenbaum, editor-in-chief of Working Mother.
All the companies in the top 100 list offer flextime. That compares with 55 percent nationwide, according to the 2003 benefits survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management.
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