U.S. Department of Labor
Women’s Bureau Region III

Flex Options for Women
Best Practices Employer, September 2008

Women of Excellence, Inc. Excels in Workplace Flexibility

Reverend Mildred Kee, Founder and Executive Director of “Women of Excellence, Inc.” located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania announced the completion and implementation of the center’s new 2008 Employee Handbook and Personnel Policies Manual at the Second Annual Flex-Options Forum and Technical Assistance Workshop for Employers hosted by the U.S. Department of Labor Women’s Bureau Region III in May 2008.

The Women’s Bureau Region III presents the Annual Flex-Options Forum and Technical Assistance Workshop in alliance with the City of Philadelphia’s Minority Business Development Council (MBEC), and Temple University’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC).  This workshop provides small and mid-size businesses with hands-on technical assistance from regional experts in writing new or enhanced workplace flexibility policies.  In 2007, Reverend Kee attended her first Flex-Options technical assistance workshop.  One year later, in 2008, she returned to attend her second Flex-Options technical assistance workshop with a complete and comprehensive employee handbook and personnel policies manual.

Reverend Kee says, “every employer should have a comprehensive series of flexible policies within their workplace.  Our Employee Handbook and Personnel Policies Manual is a great resource tool that keeps our employees informed of exactly how our organization operates; it is a key component in our new employee orientation program; and, it is an important resource guide that provides all of our employees with easy access to the details and benefits of the workplace flexibility options available to our employees here at Women of Excellence, Inc.”   

The new employee handbook and personnel policies manual at Women of Excellence, Inc., contains 28 personnel policies including a range of policies providing flexibility around shift work, part-time, sick days, personal leave for parental care and parent-teacher meetings. 

Reverend Mildred Kee is continuing to develop strategies to expand workplace flexibility at Women of Excellence, Inc.  She plans to return to the Women’s Bureau Third Annual Flex-Options Technical Assistance Workshop to report how workplace flexibility is helping her organization reach its highest level of service, productivity, consumer and employee satisfaction.

Women of Excellence, Inc., is a transitional housing program that provides women with a broad range of supportive services and life-skills workshops that aid women in making a successful transition back into the workforce.  The Women of Excellence center has a staff of 10 employees serving program participants over 3 shifts and part-timers staffing weekend shifts.  

“The U.S. Department of Labor Women’s Bureau Flex Options Forum and Technical Assistance Workshop for Employers, (in Region III), provides small and mid-size business owners with workplace flexibility tools designed to improve employee morale, workplace productivity and the overall bottom-line results of the business,” says Lucia Bruce, Regional Administrator, Women’s Bureau Region III.