Ernst & Young LLP

Ernst & Young's physical workplace is rated as very good. The firm's downtown head office is situated in the heart of the city's business district and connected to the extensive undergrouhd PATH walking network, which provides employees with all-weather access to numerous restaurants, food courts, shopping, daycare facilities, fitness clubs as well as many of the city's leading tourist attractions. Occupying fourteen floors of one of Toronto's original steel-framed skyscrapers (designed by famed architect Mies van der Rohe), Ernst & Young's head office features great views of the surrounding city; an employee lounge (with comfortable couches, television, magazines and an ongoing used book exchange); nap room; concierge services available; kitchens on every floor; vending machines with healthy snack options; free coffee, tea and soup; and an after-hours food delivery service for people working late (and at client sites).

Ernst & Young's work atmosphere is rated as exceptional. On-the-job, employee enjoy business casual dress; can listen to music while working; employee sports teams; organized social events. Every year the firm hosts a variety of fun social events for its Toronto area employees, including a December party at Christmas time (with over 2,500 attendees) and a family day at the Ontario Science Centre, with over 750 employees and their families enjoying a free day of discovery and learning. Across the company, employees and departments enjoy a variety of fun social events, including golf tournaments, dinners and major sporting events. The firm solicits feedback and keeps employees up-to-date through monthly email messages from the CEO; quarterly webcasts; several newsletters (for employees and partners); an email 'question box'; corporate intranet site; email suggestion box.

Ernst & Young's financial benefits are rated as exceptional. To keep salaries competitive the company participates in outside salary surveys every 12 months. Individual salaries are reviewed every 12 months. In addition to competitive compensation, the firm offers a variety of excellent financial benefits, including signing bonuses for some employees; new employee referral bonuses (to $15,000 for some positions); year-end bonuses (to $35,000); profit-sharing plan for all employees; defined benefit pension plan; defined contribution pension plan with employer contribution (up to 14% of salary); life & disability insurance; retirement planning assistance; and discounted company products, such as free tax-filing software.

Ernst & Young's health and family benefits are rated as above-average. The firm's health benefits plan is self insured and administered by Manulife. As part of the health plan, the employer pays 100% of the premiums. The health plan is a flexible plan with adjustable premiums and coverage levels. Employees who work 20 hours per week receive coverage. Employees receive full family coverage on the health benefits plan. The health plan also includes retiree coverage with no age limit. The basic plan includes routine dental; restorative dental; orthodontics; traditional medicine coverage; alternative medicine coverage; massage therapy; medical equipment and supplies; homecare; employee assistance (EAP) plan; travel insurance; healthclub subsidy ($1,000 each year). Fertility drugs (lifetime maximum to $15,000); and a smoking cessation drug subsidy (to $350). As part of the company's flexible health plan employees have the option to increase their levels of coverage. The waiting period for new employees ranges from no waiting period to one month, with health benefits starting on first day of the month following a person's hiring date. Ernst & Young's family-friendly benefits include: maternity top-up payments (to 100% of salary for 17 weeks); parental leave top-up for new fathers (to 100% of salary for 2 weeks); parental leave top-up for adoptive parents (to 100% of salary for 2 weeks); adoption assistance subsidy to $10,000 per child; pre-arranged emergency short-term daycare. Subsidized backup child care and adult care; access to a unique discount site (operated by an outside company) that provides discounts on everything from groceries to rental cars to home electronics; flexible working hours; telecommuting; 35-hour work week (with full pay); shortened work week (fewer hours with less pay); reduced summer hours program; compressed work week; phased-in retirement.

Ernst & Young's vacation and personal time-off are rated as very good. New employees receive 3 weeks of vacation allowance after their first year. Vacation increases after 10 years on the job. Long-serving employees receive a maximum of 5 weeks of vacation each year. Employees can schedule 2 personal days off each year, as needed. Employees receive 3 personal days off, as scheduled by their employer. During the Christmas to New Year's holiday break, employees receive an additional 1 day off. Ernst also offers three extended long weekends every year (Canada Day, Civic Holiday and Labour Day holidays). As part of its vacation program the firm recently introduced the option for employees to extend their paid vacation time with up to two weeks of unpaid vacation time, which simply allows emloyees the chance to extend a holiday or just spend a little more time with their families. Depending on the position, some employees start with 5 weeks paid vacation.

Ernst & Young's employee engagement program is rated as above-average. Employees receive individual performance reviews every 6 months. Managers receive training in how to conduct effective performance reviews. Performance feedback is also solicited from co-workers and other managers familiar with each employee's work. As part of the review process employees can provide confidential feedback on their manager's performance. The firm has a number of formal recognition programs to celebrate exceptional performance and employee milestones, including the Chairman's Values Award that includes peer nominated awards and the chance to win international recognition across the company, an inhouse peer-nominated rewards program that includes cash rewards for exceptional performance (up to $1,000), as well as celebrations to acknowledge employees who have successfully completed the Uniform Evaluation (UFE) exam. Ernst & Young hires an outside consultant to conduct confidential employee satisfaction and engagement surveys. (These surveys are held every 12 months).

Ernst & Young's training and skills development program is rated as exceptional. Employees receive tuition subsidies for courses related to their position. (The employer subsidizes up to 100% of tuition). (The employer provides up to $3,500 in subsidies). Employees may also receive tuition subsidies for courses unrelated to their current position. (The employer subsidizes up to 50% of non-related tuition). (The employer provides up to $3,500 in tuition subsidies for non-related courses). In addition to tuition subsidies the firm also provides subsidies for professional accreditations; in-house apprenticeship and skilled trades internships; in-house training programs; online training programs; online employee skills inventory; formal mentoring program; career planning services; new employee orientation program; formal mangement training program; financial bonuses for completion of certain professional accreditations (to $3,000).

Ernst & Young's community involvement program is rated as above-average. Every year, the firm supports a number of local, national and international charitable initiatives. Employees take part in the selection of charitable groups assisted each year. Employees receive paid time off to volunteer with their favourite charitable organizations. Approximately 100 charitable and community organizations were supported last year. Last year the company supported the United Way, the YMCA-YWCA, CIBC Run for the Cure, Habitat for Humanity, the Heart and Stroke Foundation, the Children's Wish Foundation, the Canadian Cancer Society and the Minerva Foundation, to name a few. In support ongoing education, Ernst & Young is the national volunteer partner of "Pathways to Education Canada", which helps high school students from low-income and under-represented groups get-to, stay-in and graduate into post-secondary studies. As part of this initiative, employees volunteer as tutors and mentors in Toronto, Montréal, Ottawa and Kitchener-Waterloo. The company also offers a matching gifts program to match employee donations to post-secondary institutions across the country.

In response to growing awareness about environmental impacts of its day-to-day operations, Ernst & Young recently created the full-time role of the Americas Director of Environmental Sustainability to oversee the greening of its entire operations across the country and North America. The firm also maintains an in-house intranet site related to environmental issues, offering tips and information status reports and activities for employees across the country and North and South America.