Working at Disney

As a company whose mission it is to provide quality entertainment for people around the world, our values naturally focus on the human element of our business - not only our guests, consumers and audiences, but also our employees and Cast Members.

At Disney, we value the fact that our heritage and reputation demands that we be held to a high standard of quality, ethics and social responsibility. For many, that's the reason they chose Disney as an employer. And for Disney, it's how we strive to treat our employees, as well.

Employee Engagement

The Walt Disney Company recognizes that a key element in creating the best environment for engaged employees is great leadership. From the recruitment and selection process, through ongoing development and retention, Disney is highly focused on building a cadre of great leaders who can fully engage their employees. Leaders take responsibility for creating a vibrant employee experience, understanding that their own behavior and vision drives the creation of a work environment in which employees can be fully engaged.

Open communication, especially among employees and their leaders, helps build an engaged workforce. Executives regularly include a Q&A segment in town hall meetings, executive coffees and employee forums. Some executives also provide the opportunity to submit questions for these meetings anonymously in advance. Employees have the opportunity to ask questions of senior leadership without censorship or repercussions. Most senior executives have an open door and open e-mail policy. And several senior executives have an e-mail box or voicemail box specifically for questions and suggestions.

Each business segment gives employees the opportunity to have a voice through employee surveys. The surveys allow for regular feedback and action planning and provide leaders with an opportunity to discover what's important to our employees and Cast Members.

Several businesss segments provide opportunities to bring employees closer to the brand and business and, where appropriate, to participate in business decisions. For example:

Our Studio Executive Coffee Series and "Studio Exclusive" Video Series both provide employees with increased access to their senior leaders through intimate Q&A events. They give employees a chance to learn more about their segment's executives - their career paths, inspirations and accomplishments - as well as about projects in development.
The Cast Members of Walt Disney parks and resorts are empowered to "deliver the magic" to exceed their Guests' expectations. During the Year of a Million Dreams celebration, Cast Members from several lines of business came together to brainstorm ways to enhance the guest experience with special touches that can take place only at a Disney park. From offering VIP parade viewing to selecting a child to participate in the flag-lowering ceremony to giving out complimentary buttons, Cast Members across the board are engaged in an important - and magical - part of the business.
At Disney Consumer Products' annual Creative Camp, the segment's entire global creative community comes together to celebrate, discover and explore new ideas for driving its businesses. Designers, character artists and creative operations personnel participate in creative classes, self-development and charitable activities.
At the Disney-ABC Television Group, all employees are working to "create what's next." This unifying employee brand, built by and for employees, serves as the foundation for everything they do. Employees' stories about how they are bringing their brand to life are regularly captured and shared through internal podcasts, videos, the intranet and weekly e-newsletters.

Many segments have "advisory" groups, such as the Disney 411 Team, that help enhance communication with employees. Team members attend monthly meetings, volunteer at employee events and serve as a Company communications link. Being a 411 Team member is a great opportunity to meet and interact with peers from many divisions of the company.

Employees may seek assistance with issues through several formal options, including their immediate supervisor, Human Resource (HR) generalist, employee relations and an anonymous 800 number called the Disney Guideline. HR generalists are physically located within the businesses and participate in day-to-day operations, giving employees easy access to them.

Disney employees participate in team-building activities from volunteering to canoe races.

Employee Benefits

At Disney, we recognize that company-sponsored benefits are important to the security and well-being of our employees and Cast Members. We provide a comprehensive benefits package that attracts, values and retains the employees and Cast Members who help to make us one of the most admired companies in the world.

Disney offers a range of benefit options to meet the diverse needs of our employees and Cast Members, including health and wellness programs, retirement and savings options, insurance protection and time away from work, as well as additional benefits to help employees balance their personal interests and needs outside the workplace. More than 73,000 employees and Cast Members are covered under our health care plans.

Family-Friendly Policies and Benefits

At Disney, we view our employees as individuals with diverse and unique needs. And we recognize and appreciate that work is only one element of our employees' lives. To that end, we provide a wide selection of benefits and services, some of which are unique to our business. In addition to adoption assistance, SurvivorSupport� and domestic partner benefits, Disney provides:

Complimentary Theme Park Tickets: Twice per year, eligible employees receive complimentary tickets to Disney-owned theme parks for themselves and their eligible dependents. In addition, eligible employees receive either an annual Silver Pass or Main Entrance Pass that allows them admittance for themselves and up to three guests or for themselves and their eligible dependents. Employees also receive discounts of at least 20% on selected Disney merchandise at the theme parks. In addition, the company maintains national and regional discount programs, under which employees can receive discounts from other businesses.
Film Screenings: Employees at our major locations frequently have the opportunity to attend screenings of Disney films along with their families and friends (based on number of dependents). In some cases, screenings are held prior to the release of the film, giving employees a sneak peek.
Childcare: Through a partnership with the YMCA, two early-childhood development centers provide Central Florida Cast Members with childcare options that fit their work schedules, including "backup care" when a family's regular childcare is not available. Walt Disney World subsidizes a childcare financial scholarship, based on need, for parents who use the on-site family centers. In Burbank, California, the Disney Childcare Center has provided high-quality childcare to dependents of our employees in the Los Angeles area since 1993. In July 2008, the company announced plans to significantly increase the number of families served companywide by opening three new, state-of-the-art employee childcare facilities - in Glendale, California; at ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut; and near Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, California.
Domestic Partner Benefits: One of the foundational values of Disney is to respect, appreciate and value everyone; as such, same-sex domestic partners are considered dependents and are eligible for benefits.

The new Center for Living Well at The Walt Disney World Resort provides a state-of-the-art, on-site health care facility for more than 40,000 eligible Cast Members.

Health and Wellness

Disney Healthy Pursuits is the innovative collection of health programs, tools and resources our employees and Cast Members can use to help them and their families live healthier lives. Beginning in 2008, Disney joined with WebMD to offer a confidential personal health assessment. More than 34,000 employees completed the assessment to learn more about their health and what actions they can take to be healthier. With the resources available through Disney Healthy Pursuits, employees and Cast Members are stepping up to our companywide challenge to make "one simple change" toward better health.

Retirement and Savings

Disney provides retirement savings and investment options to help employees and Cast Members plan for their financial future. More than 63,000 employees and Cast Members are eligible upon vesting for a company-provided pension benefit when they retire. In addition, more than 71% of salaried employees and 24% of hourly employees currently participate in the Disney 401(k) plans. All domestic employees are eligible to purchase stock through the Disney Employee Stock Purchase Program, and approximately 12,500 employees and Cast Members currently participate.

Tuition Assistance

Disney provides financial assistance for eligible employees and Cast Members who successfully complete qualified, courses that are educational or technical in nature and relate directly to job duties. Employees are eligible for educational reimbursement up to $700 per credit unit, 100% of the purchase price of all books and up to $100 per course for the cost of materials.

Disney Scholarship Program

Children of eligible employees can apply for a scholarship from The Walt Disney Company Foundation Scholarship program. In 2008, the program awarded 50 one-time college tuition scholarships of up to $20,000 to children of employees, rewarding their high school studies and investing in their promising future achievements. Eligible candidates must be in their final year of high school, planning to attend an accredited college or university and have a parent who is a full-time Disney employee for more than one year. The winners are selected based upon academic achievement and extracurricular activities.

Labor Relations

With operations in 42 countries, Disney Cast Members and employees work under a wide variety of labor rules and regulations. A significant number of employees in various businesses are covered by collective bargaining agreements. Disney's management seeks to work directly and fairly with Cast Members and employees as well as their union representatives.