MidMichigan Health

Winning Years:  2011, 2009, 2007, 2006
Industry:  Hospitals/Healthcare
Location: Midland, Mich.
Website: www.midmichigan.org

MidMichigan Health developed and implemented the MyTimeGold program, which is specifically designed to recruit and retain their retirees. The program allows retirees who have left the organization for six months the option of returning to work. Retirees choose their own work shifts on the organization's website, which provides the retiree with great flexibility. Retirees earn points for each completed shift which can be redeemed for numerous prizes. 

See also: How the 2011 Best Employers winners were selected.

In addition, MidMichigan provides retirees with a Retirement Medical Assistant Card (RMA), which is employer funded and can be used to help pay retiree insurance premiums. Retirees also receive a 4D prescription card that offers a 20 percent discount off of their prescription co-pays.

Additional Policies and Practices:

Recruiting: MidMichigan uses senior placement agencies to recruit mature workers and retirees and hosts an annual Senior Expo at a local mall.
 
Workplace Culture/Continued Opportunities: Employees working 8 or more hours per week are eligible for a tuition reimbursement benefit while all employees are offered certification classes, in-house classroom training and online training.  

Long-service anniversaries are celebrated with announcements, parties, awards and monetary gifts after five years of service.  

Employees have opportunities to gain new experiences by working on temporary assignments in other departments, on team projects, and they also have access to a formal job rotation program.  

MidMichigan's Return to Work Committee finds appropriate work for employees who are returning to work after recovering from an accident or for those with disabilities. In addition, the Temporary Transitional Work Program provides temporary work positions to employees needing special accommodations.
 
Benefits/Health: Employees working 22 or more hours per week receive individual and family medical and prescription drug coverage, individual dental insurance, as well as short-term disability. Employees working 10 or more hours per week are eligible for individual and family vision insurance while those working 35 or more hours per week receive employee and family dental coverage and long-term disability.  

Health benefits for retirees include individual and spouse medical and drug coverage and the services of an employee assistance program (EAP). Upon retirement, new hires are eligible to receive the EAP benefit.  

Flexible spending accounts (FSAs) are available to assist in covering out-of-pocket health care costs.

Next: Financial benefits and alternative work arrangements. >>