Science, Industry and Business Library > B. Altman & Co.

ITH a philanthropist for its founder, it is not surprising that the house of B. Altman & Co. devotes much care and thought to the welfare of its employees. For the women and girls there is a spacious, airy recreation room on the eleventh floor, furnished with cosy chairs and liberally supplied with books and magazines. In addition to this, a portion of the roof has been enclosed to provide a rest room for women employees who need quiet and a smoking-room for men employees, the remainder being subdivided into a solarium and an open-air roof garden and promenade, from whence may be obtained a magnificent view of New York City, the East River and Long Island.

The twelfth floor of the new addition has been given over in its entirety to the use of the employees. Here are separate luncheon rooms for men and women, and a roomy, sanitary modern kitchen, in which is prepared the wholesome, palatable food that is served, at minimum prices, in the adjoining luncheon rooms.

Extending practically the entire length of the new addition on the Thirty-fifth Street side are the medical offices, a large, specially constructed suite consisting of patients' waiting-room, physician's consulting-room, surgery, and men's and women's wards, with a total of seven beds. The equipment of these rooms has been as scientifically worked out as that of the best type of modern hospital. A physician, assisted by two graduate nurses, is in charge of the Medical Department, the expense of which is borne wholly by the firm, no tax of any kind being made, either directly or indirectly, upon the employees. Incidentally, it should be mentioned that patrons of the store, if seized with sudden illness while in the establishment, are given emergency treatment free of charge.

The medical work among the employees does not consist entirely in emergency relief, although a great amount of help is given in this way. The history of every case is tabulated, and all cases requiring protracted attention are carefully followed up, so that a permanent cure is effected where ordinarily only temporary relief would be secured. When the diagnosis indicates malnutrition, the milk diet required is not only prescribed, but supplied; and a large number of ill-nourished young persons have been correspondingly benefited. When instruction in personal hygiene is needed--as it frequently is, among the younger employees--it is given, kindly, sympathetically, thus establishing between instructor and patient the sense of kinship that is born only of true humanitarianism. It is a significant fact that, since the establishment of the Medical Department, the general efficiency of the working corps has been materially increased.

No one mark of the firm's interest in its employees has been more sincerely appreciated than the inauguration of the shorter business day. Throughout the year the store is now opened at 9 a. m., while during the Summer season it is closed daily at 5 P. m., except on Saturdays. The Saturday schedule during the Summer months is as follows: June 15th to July 1st: 9 a.m. to 12 noon. July and August: The store is closed all day Saturday. September 1st to September 15th: 9 a. m. to 12 noon. In addition to these vacation hours, in which every employee is a participant, a two weeks' vacation, with pay in advance, is allowed to all employees who have been with the firm three years or longer; those of more than one year's standing and less than three receiving one week, with advance pay.

Added to these interesting phases of the store's relationship with its employees, a school is maintained in the building for the younger employees. Here instruction is given daily, excepting Saturday, in reading, writing, spelling and arithmetic.

The Mutual Benefit Association is a fraternal organization established and supported by the employees themselves. Its main object is to provide for liberal sick and death benefits; and although membership is not compulsory, its roll numbers more than 2500 names.

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