April 22, 2008

ExpressJet: Home-Based Workforce Helps Moms Strike Work-Family Balance

Work flexibility makes everyday a Happy Mother's Day

As children across America dream up the perfect present for their mothers, employers can give working moms a gift they really appreciate: a better work/family balance.

"Working mothers are an integral part of all aspects of ExpressJet's operations, as pilots, flight attendants, and in our corporate offices. We understand the need to balance family-life with work," says ExpressJet.

Today most mothers -- even those with the youngest children -- participate in the labor force, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In 2005, the overall labor force participation rate of mothers with children under 18 was 70.5%.

When considering both parents' working schedules and the cost of full-time childcare, reducing family-work conflict is an important goal for a majority of working parents. ExpressJet's home-based reservation agents take in-bound calls and self-schedule their work hours, allowing them to coordinate work around their families' schedules.

ExpressJet Airlines employs all of its reservation agents through Alpine Access, a home-based, employee contact center. Many of these employees are mothers who want to be with their children, but still stay connected to the workplace.

Adrianne Vaiser, a 55-year-old mother of two teenaged girls, lives in Niwot, Colorado and works from home as a customer service agent for ExpressJet Airlines.

"By working from home my children know that I am there if they need me and I have the flexibility to work their activities and appointments into my schedule," said Vaiser.

Prior to having children, Adrianne worked in the travel industry for 13 years. Then, after 18 years of staying at home with her children and out of the workforce, Adrianne was able to return to work as an ExpressJet agent in 2007.

"It has been especially rewarding to be able to return to work in the travel industry without having to sacrifice time with my family. The additional income also helps me to contribute to family expenses, such as my daughter's upcoming college tuition."

Alpine Access is one of only a handful of companies in an emerging industry that provides solid, secure employment to work-from-home moms. The company currently employs 7,500 home-based customer care representatives around the country.

"We hear from women all the time that have spent months looking for legitimate work-from-home opportunities and had nearly given up hope," said Chris Carrington, CEO of Alpine Access. "The positions we offer, like the ExpressJet home-based reservation agents, provide these mothers with a unique work-life balance."