Bank of America has been named one of the "Top 10 Companies for Working Mothers" for the eighth consecutive year by Working Mother magazine. The bank has been on the magazine's list of "Top 100 Companies for Working Mothers" for the past 12 years.

"We are pleased to be among the top companies for working mothers," said Bank of America Chairman and CEO Hugh McColl, who was named Working Mother's Family Champion in 1992. "At Bank of America, we have a simple philosophy. If we take care of our associates, they will take care of our customers and that, in turn, takes care of our shareholders. It's the way we do business -- it's what makes Bank of America a one-of-a-kind place to work."

Working Mother selected 2000's 100 Best Companies based on the following criteria: child care, leave for new parents, flexible work arrangements, work/life benefits such as elder care and adoption assistance, and opportunities for women to advance. Editors looked at a range of supportive company offerings, including health insurance premiums, availability of time off to care for sick kids, mentoring programs and extras such as on-site gyms and other conveniences. A complete report of Working Mother's 2000 "100 Best Companies for Working Mothers" can be found in the October issue of Working Mother and on its Web site www.workingmother.com.

"When Working Mother magazine started the 100 Best list in 1986, editors were hard-pressed to find more than 30 companies that qualified," said Working Mother magazine Editor In Chief Lisa Benenson. "This year, however, the competition was tougher than ever before. Businesses had to be more creative and proactive in finding ways to accommodate their employees' work/life needs. For this, their commitment and ingenuity is to be commended."

Bank of America Work/Life programs include:

Child Care Plus helps associates pay for child care expenses. Depending on the associate's eligibility, Bank of America will reimburse up to $152 per month per child.

LifeWorks®, a resource and referral program, provides practical advice, resources, consultations and seminars from experts who can help associates manage their work and personal responsibilities - including child care, elder care and how to take better care of themselves.

Tuition Reimbursement is a program for all associates that helps pay for college tuition and tuition-related expenses, up to $2,000 per calendar year for undergraduate courses and $4,000 taxable for graduate courses. Courses do not need to be job-related.

Adoption Reimbursement provides associates with up to $4,000 financial assistance to help cover adoption expenses.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides confidential, short-term counseling for problems involving stress, family, mental health and alcohol or drug abuse. EAP also provides professional legal advice by telephone from experienced attorneys.

Hardship Grants are available to associates experiencing unusual hardship due to illness or other emergencies.

Dependent Care Reimbursement Account makes it possible for associates to pay for dependent care with before-tax dollars. During annual benefits enrollment, associates can determine the amount of money deducted from their paychecks.

Dependent Care Programs provide community-based programs for associates' needs, such as backup child care and summer camps.

Child Care Centers provide on-site or near-site child care in five communities for Bank of America parents.

Joe Martin Scholarship Program offers financial assistance for college or vocational school to dependent children of associates who have been employed at Bank of America for at least one year.

Matching Gifts Program encourages associates to contribute to qualifying nonprofit organizations of their choice.

Team Bank of America provides associates with personal and professional development, as well as volunteering and networking opportunities outside the workplace. Team Bank of America has six networks: the Diversity Network, Volunteer Network, Speaking Network, Recreation Network, Retiree Network and Environmental Network.

Volunteer Time for Schools provides an opportunity for full-time associates to volunteer up to two hours a week of paid time in public or private schools. Associates must meet with their managers to discuss proposed scheduling for regular volunteer time each week.

Flexible work arrangements allows associates and their managers to define when and where the associate works and includes FlexTime, job sharing, part-time work and telecommuting.

Time off -- Bank of America offers both paid and unpaid time that associates can take off from work. Programs include leaves, occasional days, personal choice days, vacation and holidays.

Bank of America, with $680 billion in assets, is the largest bank in the United States. It has full-service operations in 21 states and the District of Columbia and provides financial products and services to 30 million households and two million businesses, as well as international corporate financial services for business transactions in 190 countries. The company's stock (ticker: BAC) is listed on the New York, Pacific, and London stock exchanges and certain shares are listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

Bank of America Corporation

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