HARTFORD, Conn.--(Business Wire)--
The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., (NYSE: HIG), today announced that
it has been recognized by G.I. Jobs as a Top 100 Military Friendly Employer for
2010.
"The Hartford is honored to be recognized as a top military friendly employer,"
said Eileen Whelley, executive vice president of human resources for The
Hartford. "Through their military service, veterans gain the training and
experience that makes them valuable employees. In addition to their outstanding
leadership skills, our nation's veterans embody The Hartford's core values of
teamwork, integrity and winning spirit. Hiring veterans makes smart business
sense."
The G.I. Jobs Military Friendly Employers list, in its seventh year, serves as
the primary benchmark of corporate recruiting programs aimed at veterans. The
annual survey is one of the key tools used to determine the nation`s most
Military Friendly Employers.
"This isn`t about charity or patriotism. It`s about good business. The companies
on our list understand that," said Rich McCormack, who heads G.I. Jobs` list
research. Chris Hale, general manager of G.I. Jobs, notes that interest in
hiring military veterans has never been higher. "This list serves to disprove a
populist notion that veterans are having difficulty finding jobs when leaving
the military." Hale bristles at what he calls inaccurate attention given to high
unemployment rates for America`s young veterans, citing the fact that many young
veterans opt to take unemployment benefits before starting a civilian career.
"Given the operational tempo we`re putting our troops through, wouldn`t you?"
The Hartford has many partnerships and programs in place to recruit, retain and
support veterans and their families. Examples include:
Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR): The Hartford has signed a
Statement of Support for its commitment as an employer to the ESGR. Executives
from The Hartford have participated in several Bosslifts, a program of the ESGR
which exposes employers from across the country to the various roles and
missions of Guard and Reserve forces. The program aims to help give employers a
better understanding and appreciation of the vital part Guardsmen and Reservists
play in our nation`s defense. Since 2004, The Hartford has been designated as an
"Above and Beyond" Employer by the CT ESGR committee.
Helping Veterans Return to Work:The Hartford launched the Workplace Warrior
Think Tank - the first-of-its-kind group - with the Disability Management
Employer Coalition (DMEC), the leading developer of employee health and
productivity strategies. In February 2008, The Hartford and DMEC announced
recommendations on how employers can help disabled veterans make the transition
from battlefield back to the business world. The think tank`s white paper (PDF)
can be found on The Hartford`s Web site:
www.thehartford.com/workplacewarriors.pdf
The Hartford Ski Spectacular: For four years, disabled veterans with the Wounded
Warrior Project (WWP) have participated in The Hartford Ski Spectacular, the
nation`s largest winter sports festival for individuals with physical
disabilities. At The Hartford Ski Spectacular 2008, 119 American Wounded
Warriors, their families and hospital staff participated in the Learn-to-Ski,
Learn-to-Race, and mentor programs. Several Wounded Warriors who have
participated in The Hartford Ski Spectacular in previous years also returned to
serve as mentors and instructors to first-time participants.
Military Community: In 2008, The Hartford formed a support network for the
company's reserve component soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, and
coastguardsmen. The military community is open to all employees and is intended
to be a focal point for communication regarding different events and activities
in support of The Hartford`s employees who have a direct or indirect connection
to military members and/or their families. The military community hosted its
second annual Veterans Day Ceremony at the company`s world headquarters on
Wednesday, November 11.
Criteria for the rankings included assets dedicated to military hiring (28
percent), Reserve/Guard policies (18 percent), percentage of new hires who are
veterans (14 percent), veteran training programs (10 percent) and previous three
years` rankings (30 percent). A full list of all 100 Military Friendly Employers
can be found at www.gijobs.com/top100pr.
For more information on careers at The Hartford, please visit our Web site:
http://www.thehartford.com/careers.
About G.I. Jobs
G.I. Jobs (www.gijobs.com) is published by Victory Media, a veteran-owned
business, headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pa. The company also publishes Military
Spouse and Vetrepreneur magazines. Victory Media also produces an annual list of
Military Friendly Schools and Military Friendly Franchises.
About The Hartford
Celebrating nearly 200 years, The Hartford (NYSE: HIG) is an insurance-based
financial services company that serves households, businesses and employees by
helping to protect their assets and income from risks, and by managing wealth
and retirement needs. A Fortune 500 company, The Hartford is recognized widely
for its service expertise and as one of the world`s most ethical companies. More
information on the company and its financial performance is available at
www.thehartford.com.
HIG-C
Some of the statements in this release may be considered forward-looking
statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
We caution investors that these forward-looking statements are not guarantees of
future performance, and actual results may differ materially. Investors should
consider the important risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to
differ. These important risks and uncertainties include those discussed in our
Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, our 2008 Annual Report on Form 10-K and the
other filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We assume no
obligation to update this release, which speaks as of the date issued.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available:
http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6097743&lang=en
The Hartford
Heather Lodini, 860-547-3301
Heather.Lodini@TheHartford.com
Copyright Business Wire 2009