THESE LOCAL COMPANIES LOVE THEIR MOTHERS : HOW AMGEN MAKES THE GRADE.

Byline: Heesun Wee Daily News Staff Writer

In 1986, Working Mother magazine published its first list of 30 U.S. companies it deemed ideal for working moms.

``And that was scraping the barrel,'' said Milton Moskowitz of Mill Valley, author of the report on which the list was based.

Eleven years later, the barrel is brimming. Hundreds of serious contenders vie annually for a spot on the magazine's list of the best, which has grown from 30 to 100.

In September, the New York-based magazine unveiled its 11th list.

Two Ventura County-based businesses cracked the top 100 again this year - Amgen Inc. in Thousand Oaks and Patagonia Inc. in Ventura.

Patagonia's placing in the top-10 group this year is the eighth time the designer and distributor of outdoor wear has made the top 100, and the company's third appearance among the top 10. Patagonia got high marks for salaries and advancement opportunities; it also got kudos for having the most generous paternity leave (eight weeks of full pay) of all the top-100 companies.

Moskowitz, who has authored all 11 reports, said the survey's popularity has gained momentum steadily during the past decade. Businesses believe a slot on the list can lead to good publicity and lure promising, future employees to their companies, he said.

The race to the final 100 begins months before the list's fall unveiling.

Moskowitz and the magazine's staff scour the country for companies offering unique benefits to working parents, especially mothers. After the initial screening, the magazine invites selected businesses in January to complete a five-page questionnaire.

``We ask for descriptions of programs, videos of benefits, booklets - anything that would bear on their standing as a good company for working parents,'' Moskowitz said.

And that means a lot of interesting mail. One application from a business this year included a supportive letter from a state governor. Other applications included gifts, meant for expectant mothers, such as electronic pagers. And then there are the elaborately produced videos and painstakingly clipped local newspaper articles that accompany applications.

Moskowitz and the staff then hunker down and whittle the list of hundreds of serious finalists (about 400 this year) down to 100. In addition to its own research, the magazine considers input from consultants and family-issues advocates.

The report rates firms on pay, advancement opportunities for women, child care, flexible hours and benefits such as adoption aid and elder-care resources.

According to this year's 34-page report, businesses are offering more flexible hours, better recognizing child-care needs of branch-office employees and offering paid leave to fathers and adoptive parents.

But the survey also cites a dearth of women managers. ``There's still a sort of glass ceiling for a lot of women,'' Moskowitz said.

Amgen's benefits and perks earned the company a spot in Working Mother magazine's annual list of the top 100 U.S. businesses for working moms. Here's why, according to the periodical:

Pay. Entry-level staff, including lab assistants, administrative clerks and manufacturing operators, earn about $18,720 a year. Entry-level professionals can take home about $30,000 annually. The annual median salary range is $50,000 to $55,000.

Opportunities for women to advance. Women comprise 13 percent of Amgen's vice presidents and 37 percent of managers. And 28 percent of the company's highest-paid employees (top 20 percent) overall are women, including vice presidents and managers.

Flexibility or alternative work schedules. Twenty out of the 3,410 employees take advantage of the company's flex time and work beyond core business hours.

Family-friendly benefits. In addition to meeting the provisions of the federal Family and Medical Leave Act and the California Family Rights Act, the company offers a maximum of 60 calendar days of leave with full pay for childbirth, in conjunction with state disability insurance.

The state and federal acts essentially guarantee employees time off for pregnancies and other family-related illnesses and their jobs, or equivalents, when they return to work. But according to the acts, whether or not the leaves include pay is up to employers.

Phase-back for new mothers. A part-time, six-week transition period is available, permitting new mothers time to ease back into work.

Retirement and savings plan. The company automatically contributes 3 percent of pay, plus a 100 percent company match of up to 5 percent of pay.

Stock options. Stock options are available for all employees, not just the CEO. Most U.S. businesses usually offer stock options only to management.

Vacation. Three weeks of paid vacation from the first day of employment.

Gift shops. Access to two on-site gift shops, which stock staples from birthday cards to a film processing service.

Personal health. The company reimburses a maximum of $200 a year for personal health and fitness needs. Examples include membership to non-Amgen health club, a yoga class or a weight-loss program.

Relocation benefits. For new employees who need to sell a home before relocating to Thousand Oaks, Amgen foots the bill for three appraisals and covers the difference if money is lost in a home's sale.

Free cancer screenings. Annual on-site mammograms and screenings for breast, prostate, rectal and skin cancers are available.

CAPTION(S):

Photo, Box

Photo: Amgen employee Norman Kremer, a project engineer, created ``Triple Helix'' - a depiction of triple-helix DNA strands - as a meaning-laden sculpture to hang in the Conference Center of the Thousand Oaks biotechnology firm.

Michael Owen Baker/Daily News

Box: How Amgen makes the grade (See Text)