Discovery Communications Named to Working Mother's "100 Best Companies" List for 17 Consecutive Years

NEW YORK, Sept. 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Working Mother magazine today named Discovery Communications, for the 17^th consecutive year, as one of the "Working Mother 100 Best Companies" for its outstanding leadership in creating progressive programs for its workforce in the areas of advancement of women, flexibility, child care and paid parental leave. The 100 Best Companies are featured in the October/November issue of Working Mother and on workingmother.com.

A veteran of the annual list, Discovery has continued year after year to expand its already robust employee benefit program. Most recently the company announced a significant enhancement to its paid leave policy for U.S. employees. Effective January 1, 2017, the new policy will extend Discovery's parental leave benefit to a full 12 weeks of paid leave, and will now offer those same 12 weeks as part of a brand-new caregiver leave benefit designed to support families in the case of serious health conditions. Under the new policy and with the addition of short-term disability and up to two weeks of vacation time, maternity leave will now max at 20 to 22 weeks, depending on delivery.

"Discovery is committed to supporting all of our employees both at work and at home. It's a philosophy that over time has proven what we have known for many years: employees that are supported at home also are happier and more productive in the workplace," said Adria Alpert Romm, Chief Human Resources and Global Diversity Officer for Discovery Communications. "By promoting a culture that places a priority on work-life balance, we are attracting and retaining the kind of strategic, dedicated and creative employees that have and will continue to make this company a leader in global entertainment."

Jennifer Owens, Editorial Director of Working Mother Media, says, "For 31 years, Working Mother has tracked the progress of companies that lead in creating a supportive workplace for America's families. Now more than ever, with changing family dynamics, parental benefits are a key weapon in the war for talent. These companies aim to create the culture that attract the best talent."

Subha Barry, Vice President, General Manager, Working Mother Media, says, "This year's class of winning companies goes the extra mile to support working moms and all diverse families. In 2016, fully paid leave offerings have grown to an average of 9 weeks, up from 8 last year. The Working Mother 100 Best Companies continues to pave the way for employers nationwide to support their employees, both personally and professionally."

Discovery's recently enhanced paid leave offering comes in addition to a number of family-focused benefits already available to its more than 3,000 U.S. employees. Among these benefits are an adoption and surrogacy assistance program, offering up to $10,000 reimbursement for adoption- and surrogacy-related expenses; an on-site childcare facility at the corporate headquarters in Silver Spring, Md.; and onsite wellness centers open free of charge to employees and their dependents across a number of U.S. offices. Discovery's international employees also have access to robust benefits programs, where policies and offerings vary from country to country based on local laws and regulations.

The complete list of the 2016 Working Mother 100 Best Companies can be found here.

About Discovery Communications
Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is the leader in global entertainment reaching 3 billion cumulative viewers in more than 220 countries and territories. Discovery satisfies curiosity, entertains and inspires viewers with high-quality content through global brands, led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Investigation Discovery, Animal Planet, Science and Turbo/Velocity, as well as U.S. joint venture network OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, and through the Discovery Digital Networks portfolio, including Seeker and SourceFed. Discovery owns Eurosport, the leading pan-regional sports entertainment destination across Europe and Asia-Pacific. Discovery also is a leading provider of educational products and services to schools, including an award-winning series of K-12 digital textbooks, through Discovery Education. For more information, please visit www.discoverycommunications.com. 

About Working Mother Media
Working Mother Media (WMM), a division of Bonnier Corporation (bonnier.com), publishes Working Mother magazine and its companion website, workingmother.com. The Working Mother Research Institute (workingmother.com/wmri), the National Association for Female Executives (nafe.com) and Diversity Best Practices (diversitybestpractices.com) are also units within WMM. WMM's mission is to serve as a champion of culture change. Working Mother magazine is the only national magazine for career-committed mothers. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Pinterest.

SOURCE Discovery Communications

Related Links

http://www.discovery.com