Working Mother magazine has named Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey (Horizon BCBSNJ) as one of the 2014 Working Mother 100 Best Companies for its commitment to family-friendly workplace programs, including child care, flexible work arrangements and paid family leave. This is the fifth consecutive year that Horizon BCBSNJ has been recognized as one of Working Mother’s 100 Best Companies."Horizon believes that cultivating an environment in which our employees can maintain a healthy balance between work and home is key to serving our 3.7 million members with dedication and excellence," said Alison Banks-Moore, Chief Diversity Officer at Horizon BCBSNJ. The company was recognized by Working Mother for the programs it offers to create a welcoming and supportive workplace, including such new initiatives as "Step it Up," which is an intranet-based, company-wide recognition program that allows peers and managers to commend workers for their achievements and leadership. The company’s recognition also reflects the creation of Horizon BCBSNJ’s newest Affinity Group, Women LEAD, whose efforts are intended to broaden employees’ understanding of diversity and the numerous advantages of encouraging and sustaining an inclusive, respectful workforce.These programs supplement other employee-focused initiatives, including:

• An Alternative Work Arrangement Program, including flextime, telecommuting and job sharing, to help support a work/life balance.
• A full health risk assessment as well as health counseling and education.
• Access to an on-site health center, lab facility, pharmacy and fitness center.
• Tuition reimbursement, in-house classroom training, online training and certification classes.
• Leadership development training.
• On-site child care center.
• Adoption benefits.
• A benefits program for full- and part-time employees working 20+ hours per week.
• A 401(k) plan with employer match to its full- and part-time employees and financial planning information.

Horizon BCBSNJ will be celebrated at this year’s Working Mother 100 Best Companies WorkLife Congress, taking place October 13-15, 2014, at the Marriot Marquis in New York City.For a complete list on Horizon BCBSNJ’s recognition for diversity efforts, visit: http://horizonblue.com/about-us/diversity/awards-accolades.About Horizon BCBSNJ’s Diversity programsHorizon BCBSNJ has instituted many programs aimed at promoting diversity within the company including: paid minority internships and manager development programs, as well as a Diversity Council and minority leadership programs. To learn more about Horizon BCBSNJ and its diversity efforts, visit: www.HorizonBlue.com/diversity About Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New JerseyHorizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, the state’s oldest and largest health insurer, is a tax-paying, not-for-profit health services corporation, providing a wide array of medical, dental, and prescription insurance products and services. Horizon BCBSNJ is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, serving more than 3.7 million members with headquarters in Newark and offices in Wall, Mt. Laurel, and West Trenton. Learn more at www.HorizonBlue.com. About Working Mother MediaWorking Mother Media, a division of Bonnier Corporation (bonnier.com), is the publisher of Working Mother magazine and its companion website workingmother.com, and is home to the Working Mother Research Institute. The National Association for Female Executives (nafe.com) and Diversity Best Practices (diversitybestpractices.com) are also units within WMM. Working Mother Media’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.