Why Elsevier Won Best Company for Working Daughters (and Sons)
November 2, 2024
This award recognizes companies that support caregivers; here, our people share their personal stories and the impact Elsevier’s culture has had on their lives.
We are pleased to once again earn a place among the top 10 Best Places to Work for Working Daughters, alongside industry leaders like Cisco, Morgan Stanley, and Fannie Mae. This recognition is a reflection of our company’s deep commitment to fostering an inclusive, supportive workplace where employees can thrive professionally while caring for their families. Here, Jill Mottorn, Digital Marketing Manager, Americas, writes about her experience at Elsevier, adding to the stories of our colleagues from two years ago, which follow.
Jill Mottorn
“My mom is the Queen of England”
By Jill Mottorn
My Mom is the Queen of England. At dinner one night, she announced to her fellow residents that as their Queen, she needed to lead them to safety before the enemy advanced. In case you were wondering, my mom isn’t the Queen of England — although she is the queen of my heart. She lives with Alzheimer’s disease. When we first received her diagnosis in 2015, I was prepared for memory loss, but I was ignorant of the changes in behavior, mood swings and delirium, which has resulted in frequent trips to the hospital to address the psych issues.
Whether it’s spending time with her in the hospital, meeting with caregivers, attending doctor appointments or participating in family support meetings, Elsevier’s support for working daughters (and Sons) ensures that I can be active in Mom’s care and still work fulltime.
Prior to this year, I was using my leave to care for my mom — trips to the neurologist, dental appointments, meeting with part-time in-home carers and other appointments and needs all added up, and I blew through my leave bank. As I prepared to take more time away from work when Mom fell and needed surgery, my HR partner, Terry Patton, suggested that I seek elder care and support — she quite strongly advised that we are encouraged to use our leave to unwind, rejuvenate and care for ourselves and use programs such as the elder care to preserve our leave for other necessary wellness and wellbeing reasons. Without Elder Care & Support, as well as the support and flexibility my manager, Natalie Farra, provides, I would have to make a hard decision between being active in Mom’s care and looking for other employment that offered the flexibility that I need. I’m grateful for the tools and support Elsevier provides for family caregivers, and I take pride in knowing that our collective work at Elsevier supports policymakers, funders and researchers who are working towards making Alzheimer’s disease manageable, treatable and preventative.
Jill Mottorn with her mom, Loreen, cousin Jennifer and dog, Chunk.