The Best Companies For Working Moms In 2017

Balancing a career while being a mother is a challenge but, it's one that many women conquer daily. Companies that offer policies that are friendly to working mothers can make a world of a difference in the lives of families.

The Working Mother 100 Best Companies list has released its 2017 edition, detailing which companies are the best for working mothers and what policies, perks and flexibility they allow that make workplaces friendly to moms.

"This year's winners represent about 2 million employees at more than 28,000 worksites around the country," Working Mother states.

Companies that apply to be featured on the list have to answer more than 400 questions on leave policies, workforce representation, benefits, child care, advancement programs, flexibility policies and more. The application "surveys the availability and usage of these programs, as well as the accountability of the many managers who oversee them."

According to the list, here are the top 10 companies for working mothers and a snapshot of the benefits they offer, according to Working Mother:

Bank of America: The company offers, on average, 16 fully paid weeks off for new moms and 16 fully paid weeks off for new dads. The same is offered for adoptive parents, on average. The company offers backup childcare, and 39 percent of employees telecommute.

Deloitte: The company offers, on average, 22 fully paid weeks off for new moms and 16 fully paid weeks off for new dads. Adoptive parents, on average, are offered 16 fully paid weeks off. The company offers backup childcare, and 95 percent of employees telecommute.

Ernst & Young LLP: The company offers, on average, 16 fully paid weeks off for new moms and 16 fully paid weeks off for new dads. The same is offered for adoptive parents, on average. The company offers backup childcare, and 95 percent of employees telecommute.

IBM: The company offers, on average, 12 fully paid weeks off for new moms and six fully paid weeks off for new dads. Adoptive parents, on average, are given six fully paid weeks off. The company offers backup childcare.

Johnson & Johnson: The company offers, on average, 15 fully paid weeks off for new moms and eight fully paid weeks off for new dads. Adoptive parents, on average, get eight fully paid weeks off. The company offers backup childcare, and 75 percent of employees telecommute.

Click here to find a job at one of the best companies for working mothers by browsing the Patch jobs board and searching for jobs in your hometown.

McKinsey & Co.: The company offers, on average, 16 fully paid weeks off for new moms and eight fully paid weeks off for new dads. Adoptive parents, on average, get 12 fully paid weeks off. The company offers backup childcare, and 100 percent of employees telecommute.

Prudential Financial: The company offers, on average, eight fully paid weeks off for new moms and four fully paid weeks off for new dads. Adoptive parents, on average, get four fully paid weeks off. The company offers backup child care, and 75 percent of employees telecommute.

PwC: The company offers, on average, 15 fully paid weeks off for new moms and six fully paid weeks off for new dads. Adoptive parents, on average, get 12 fully paid weeks off. The company offers backup child care, and 70 percent of employees telecommute.

Unilever: The company offers, on average, 12 fully paid weeks off for new moms and four fully paid weeks off for new dads. Adoptive parents, on average, get four fully paid weeks off. The company offers backup child care, and 49 percent of employees telecommute.

Zoetils: The company offers, on average, 13 fully paid weeks off for new moms and one fully paid week off for new dads. Adoptive parents, on average, get six fully paid weeks off. The company offers backup child care, and 80 percent of employees telecommute.

Working Mother's survey shows that of the 100 companies featured on the list, all offer paid maternity leave, compared to just 30 percent of companies in the U.S. Ninety-eight percent of the companies on the list offer paid adoption leave, 97 percent offer paid paternity leave and 93 percent offer adoption assistance. On average, the 100 best companies offer 10 weeks of maternity leave, while the top 10 and top 25 on the list both offer on average 15 weeks of paid maternity leave. Nearly all the companies offer flextime and telecommuting options.

Click here to see the full list of companies that made the list, and click here for more details on what makes the companies the best for working mothers.

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