Ernst & Young Offers 'Family Reunions' for Its Employees This Holiday Season; Fifth Annual Holiday Conferencing Program Brings Long-Distance Family and Friends Together.

Business Editors

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 17, 2001

Spending time with family and friends has always been a priority for the holiday season, but this year it has taken on even greater significance as the world has experienced devastating losses and is living in a period of uncertainty.

As a result, people have placed increased emphasis on their lives outside of the office. To encourage its employees to spend time with their loved ones for the holidays, Ernst & Young is rolling out its fifth annual holiday conferencing program. Holiday Conferencing, as it is called, uses state-of-the-art video conferencing equipment and allows Ernst & Young employees to participate in a virtual visit of up to 30 minutes with family members they will not be able to see in person during the holiday season. Sessions are coordinated in Ernst & Young offices in 62 cities across the U.S., as well as throughout the world, including countries like the United Kingdom, Finland, Australia and Singapore.

"Ernst & Young is proud to sponsor Holiday Conferencing again this year. We realize that since September 11, family and friends have become even more precious, and we encourage our people to take advantage of this program to spend time with their loved ones," said James Freer, Ernst & Young's vice chairman of Americas human resources. "People often live great distances from their families, and we are pleased to help them connect in this way no matter where they live."

Ernst & Young has earned a distinguished reputation as being a "great place to work," having been recognized by a number of top-level business and women's magazines for its efforts to encourage healthy work-life integration for all its people:

-- Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For (January 2000, 1999) Ernst & Young
named two years in a row among the nation's 100 most advanced and innovative
companies that help employees balance work and personal life.

-- Fortune's Top 25 Companies Favored by MBAs (April 2000) Ernst & Young ranked
one of the most sought after places to work in a survey of 2,700 MBA candidates
from U.S. colleges and universities conducted by the academic consulting firm
Universum.

-- Working Mother's 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers (October 2001, 2000,
1999, 1998) Ernst & Young was named to this annual list for fourth consecutive
year--and fifth time overall--proving its commitment to providing alternative
work programs and career advancement for all employees, especially women.

The Holiday Conferencing program is available to Ernst & Young employees from November 20 until December 28, 2001.

U.S. cities offering video teleconferencing facilities include: Akron, Ann Arbor, Atlanta, Baltimore, Birmingham, Boston, Buffalo, Century City, Charleston (W. Va.), Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland/Huntington, Columbus (Ohio), Dallas, Dayton, Denver, Des Moines, Detroit, Fort Wayne, Grand Rapids, Greensboro (N.C.), Greenville (S.C.), Harrisburg (Pa.), Hartford, Houston, Indianapolis, Irvine (Calif.), Iselin (N.J.), Jacksonville, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Louisville, McLean (Va.), Meadowlands, Melville (N.Y.), Memphis, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Nashville, New York, Orlando, Palo Alto, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Raleigh, Richmond, Riverside (Calif.), San Diego, San Jose, Seattle, St. Louis, Stamford (Conn.), Syracuse, Tampa, Toledo, Vienna (Va.), Washington, D.C., West Palm Beach and Woodland Hills (Calif.).

In addition to the U.S., other countries that are offering the program include: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Finland, Mexico, Netherlands, Singapore, United Kingdom and Venezuela.

About Ernst & Young

Ernst & Young, a global leader in professional services, understands the business issues that are important to senior executives. With extensive business knowledge and hands-on industry experience, the global Ernst & Young organization can implement a broad array of solutions to help companies capture growth, improve financial performance and manage risk--anywhere in the world. Its 84,000 people serve as trusted business advisers in more than 130 countries, offering audit, tax, corporate finance and transaction services across all industries to many of today's leading global corporations as well as emerging growth companies. In addition, legal services are available in various parts of the world where permitted. A collection of Ernst & Young's views on a variety of business issues can be found at http://www.ey.com/thoughtcenter.

Ernst & Young refers to all members of the global Ernst & Young organization, including the U.S. firm of Ernst & Young LLP.