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CALGARY, Oct. 12, 2012 /CNW/ - WestJet today announced that for the second year in a row, it is listed among Canada's Top 100 Employers in Mediacorp's annual study of the best workplaces in Canada. And once again, WestJet is the only airline to place in the top 100.

"This is a people-driven award and we are proud to receive it again this year," said Ferio Pugliese, WestJet Executive Vice-President, People, Culture and Inflight Services. "WestJet is a top employer because our 8,600 WestJetters have set high standards for themselves in key areas like attitude, engagement and commitment to delivering a great guest experience. Our internal motto, "We succeed because I care" is proof that our company is successful as a business as well as an employer because our people care - about our guests, about each other and about WestJet. We thank our WestJetters for their contributions to our company and congratulate them on this latest accolade."

Employers across Canada were invited to submit their applications and more than 3,000 entered the application process. Candidates are graded in eight key areas (with WestJet's ratings in brackets):

• Physical workplace (A+)
• Work atmosphere and communications (A+)
• Financial benefits and compensation (B+)
• Health and family-friendly benefits (B)
• Vacation and personal time off (B-)
• Employee engagement (B+)
• Training and skills development (B)
• Community involvement (A)

MediaCorp said that WestJet was cited for the following attributes:

• a great corporate citizen, the company and its employees manage a highly focused charitable program through an in-house "Community Investment team" - supporting numerous initiatives every year and donating over 4,790 flights to charitable initiatives last year;
  
  
• unique physical workplace that includes a variety of onsite amenities such as a fitness facility with free membership, cafeteria with healthy menus and a lounge with television and video games;
  
  
• offers employees discounted airfare anywhere the airline flies, including standby travel discounts, 50 per cent discounts on booked flights and even discounted passes for friends and family;
  
  
• encourages ongoing employee development with subsidies for professional accreditation, in-house apprenticeship programs, career planning services and an online skills inventory; and
  
  
• has a longstanding program to create an ownership culture with generous matching share purchase contributions as part of the employee share purchase plan.

For more information on WestJet's selection as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers, please visit http://www.eluta.ca/top-employer-westjet-airlines.

About WestJet
WestJet is Canada's most preferred airline, offering scheduled service to 81 destinations in North America, Central America and the Caribbean. Powered by an award-winning culture of care, WestJet has pioneered low-cost flying in Canada. Recognized nationally as a top employer, WestJet now has more than 8,600 WestJetters across Canada. Operating a fleet of 99 Boeing Next-Generation 737 aircraft with future confirmed deliveries for an additional 36 Boeing Next-Generation 737 aircraft through 2018 and plans to launch a low-cost regional airline in 2013, WestJet strives to be one of the five most successful international airlines in the world.

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SOURCE: WestJet