Florida Blue Recognized as "Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion" for 7th Year

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., July 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Florida Blue, the Blue Cross and Blue Shield plan of Florida, is pleased to announce it has received a top score on the 2021 Disability Equality Index®, the leading nonprofit resource for business disability inclusion worldwide, further demonstrating Florida Blue's commitment to providing a diverse and inclusive work culture.

The 2021 Disability Equality Index® (DEI® ) Best Places to Work™ survey was completed by 319 companies nationwide. Florida Blue was among 191 companies to receive a score of 100, which it has received all seven years the survey has been conducted.

"Our mission to help people and communities achieve better health requires us to lead the way in creating a more inclusive and equitable society for our employees, members, customers and communities," said Pat Geraghty, president and CEO of Florida Blue. "This recognition is a testament of our diverse and inclusive culture, which is a true reflection of the diverse communities we serve."

This year, following the COVID-19 pandemic, the survey was modernized to add new non-weighted questions about innovative technology to advance digital and remote accessibility; mental health and wellness benefits; paid caregiver leave; supplemental long-term disability insurance; accessible remote and in-person conferencing technologies, and flexible work options for people with disabilities.

Some of the company's recent achievements and initiatives include:

• The introduction of digital wellness solutions to provide support and resources to help employees manage stress and improve their overall health and well-being.
  
  
• The addition of paid caregiver leave for full-time employees to care for family members with a serious health condition, including an illness, injury, impairment or other physical or mental condition.
  
  
• In 2020, Florida Blue and Florida Blue Foundation awarded a total of 28 grants to organizations that supported persons with disabilities, including Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Jacksonville Speech and Hearing Center, and Mana-Sota Lighthouse for the Blind.

"In today's socially-diverse environment, we remain committed to breaking down barriers and taking bold action to foster a culture where employees feel empowered to bring their best selves to work," said Amy Ruth, senior vice president of Human Services Group and chief human resource officer at Florida Blue. "By embracing each other's differences, we are creating equal opportunities for employees to grow and thrive in their careers."

The survey measured culture and leadership; enterprise-wide access; employment practices; community engagement; supplier diversity; and non-U.S. operations.

The DEI was launched in 2015 by Disability:IN and The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and is acknowledged as the most robust disability inclusion assessment tool in business.

About Florida Blue

Florida Blue, Florida's Blue Cross and Blue Shield company, has been providing health insurance to residents of Florida for more than 75 years. Driven by its mission of helping people and communities achieve better health, the company serves more than 5 million health care members across the state. In total, Florida Blue and its affiliated companies serve more than 28 million people in 45 states. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., it is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

About the Disability Equality Index®

The Disability Equality Index (DEI) is a comprehensive benchmarking tool that helps companies build a roadmap of measurable, tangible actions that they can take to achieve disability inclusion and equality. Each company receives a score, on a scale of zero (0) to 100, with those earning 80 and above recognized as a "Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion."

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SOURCE Florida Blue