Amgen Expands Corporate Child Care Services

Amgen Inc. is among a handful of U.S. employers that are finding ways to ease the child care burdens of its employees -- and reap the dividends of a productive and loyal workforce.

The biotechnology company, based in Thousand Oaks, Calif., announced the opening of Camp Amgen, a newly expanded child care center that will provide day care for more than 430 children aged six weeks to five years. The company says the new center, which houses 32 classrooms and 16 play yards, is the largest corporate child care center in the United States. The new Camp Amgen will accommodate almost twice the number of children as the previous center, which was opened in 1992.

Some employers have shied away from providing onsite child care services because of the expense and potential liability. But Amgen executives believe the facility provides numerous benefits for the company and its workers.

"Camp Amgen has been a highly valued benefit for Amgen staff and their families since it opened eight years ago," said Kevin Sharer, Amgen president and CEO. "This new facility will enable many more children to learn and grow in close proximity to their parents. Parents are more productive knowing that their children are in a safe, positive and nurturing environment."

Amgen said a larger facility is necessary based on the rapid growth of the company's staff. When the first Camp Amgen opened, Amgen employed approximately 1,250 people at its home office, and 70 children were enrolled in childcare. Today, with more than 4,100 employees, 295 children are enrolled in the new facility.

The center is managed by Bright Horizons Family Solutions, Inc., a leading provider of employer sponsored childcare. The company operates each of its centers based on standards of excellence defined by the National Association for the Education of Young.