Diversity

NAMIC extended the deadline to Dec 15 on its minority employment research survey to allow more participation from industry, NAMIC said. "The [NAMIC] board was shocked and disappointed that more people didn’t come through," NAMIC pres Jenny Alonzo said, noting the survey materials now include a word document that can be printed out; copies of the document can then be sent to various depts within a company, making the survey more user friendly. A total of 11 companies filed their confidential responses, but many companies came forward recently to participate, NAMIC said. No such problems with WICT’s PAR Initiative survey, which measures women’s advancement in the workplace. WICT is "pleased" with the response. PAR has "had more companies participate this year than last year," it said. Last year 28 companies participated and The Weather Channel was judged the best programmer for women to work for, while Cox was the best cable operator for working women. For the first time, the survey will track entry-level women. "We saw a trend that there is a disparate number of women working in customer-service areas," WICT chief Benita Fitzgerald Mosley said last May. PAR results will be released Nov 1, just before WICT’s Nov 3 gala in DC.