Atlantic Health Earns AARP Accolades

Atlantic Health System, the parent company for , has once again been named to the Top 10 "Best Employers for Workers Over 50" list, compiled by AARP.

The press release follows:

Atlantic Health System, parent company of Morristown Medical Center, is among the Top 10 companies in AARP’s newest list of “Best Employers for Workers Over 50,” highlighting the organization’s efforts to retain and recruit experienced health care workers.

Atlantic Health System was ranked 7th on this year’s AARP’s “Best Employers” list, which awards businesses and organizations that have implemented new and innovative policies and best practices in talent management.

Atlantic Health System is the only organization from New Jersey to be listed in the Top 10 this year. Starting in 2006, this marks the fifth consecutive time that AARP has chosen to honor Atlantic Health System as a Best Employer for older workers. In 2009, when AARP ranked hospitals and health care organizations in a separate “Best Employer” list, Atlantic Health System was chosen as the top company. This year, AARP has returned hospitals and health care organizations to the overall list of 50 companies.

“To consistently be highly ranked each time by the AARP over the course of the last half-decade, at a time when the economy has become a harsher climate for employees of all ages, speaks volumes about how strongly we value our workers and strive to retain their skills,” said Andrew Kovach, vice president of Human Resources, and Chief Administrative Officer, Atlantic Health System. “The value of hiring and keeping experienced employees is apparent in the excellence
Atlantic Health System has achieved in the field of health care and high honors such as this show that we’re committed to honoring their contributions.”

An example of Atlantic Health System’s appreciation of experienced employees can be found in its Mentorship Program, which gives older employees the opportunity to share their knowledge and experience with younger employees. The organization also celebrates long-service anniversaries with announcements, parties and awards.

While many companies seek to hire younger, less-experienced workers, AHS has hired younger and older alike. The organization has targeted the mature workforce with recruiting efforts such as posting jobs on various media outlets and websites geared toward over-50 workers, and outreach at clubs, organizations and events for older workers. As a result of these and other efforts, AHS hired 172 employees over age 50 last year.

In addition to offering on-site child care centers and child care for children and grandchildren of employees, Atlantic Health also offers emergency backup childcare and eldercare in which employees will receive reimbursement for at-home caregivers. Atlantic Health also has an elaborate wellness program that encourages employees to maintain a personal profile through questionnaires that focus in part on cardiac, cancer, nutrition, exercise and stress issues.

As in previous rankings, AARP again highlighted Atlantic Health System's 1,000 Hour Club, a program specifically for employees age 50 and over, which allows retirees the opportunity to return to part-time and per-diem work in as early as three months after they have begun receiving retirement benefits. Those in the club can work up to 999 hours each year while continuing to collect their retirement benefits.

Other features of Atlantic Health System noted by AARP in its rankings were:

• Individual and family long-term care insurance, as well as short-term disability, is offered to full- and part-time employees
• The Ergonomics Department offers ergonomic evaluations and information to employees. Through this program, ceiling tract lifts were installed to make moving and transferring non-mobile patients easier and safer for both patients and employees
• Atlantic Health System employees receive free hospital and facility coverage benefits including lab and radiology services, on-site nurse practitioner, disease management and wellness programs, as well as annual physicals and colonoscopies