News Notes: Employers Boosting Work/Life Benefits, Study Finds

A new study by Mellon Financial Corp. reveals that 81 percent of employers offer employee assistance programs, up from 70 percent in 1996, and 54 percent provide family sick days, up from 42 percent. Although only 6 percent of employers offered domestic partner benefits seven years ago, 35 percent of employers do now. The study also found that 88 percent of employers offer work-related tuition reimbursement, 55 percent provide general resource and referral services, and 47 percent provide unpaid family leave beyond the required FMLA leave. According to participants, work/life programs are offered to enhance recruiting, raise morale, and keep companies competitive.