NEW YORK and MAYNARD, Mass. – March 26, 2008 – Springtime is typically one of the busiest hiring periods of the year and can be an ideal juncture for many workers to consider new jobs and career paths. However, for those faced with certain job-related challenges, there is often little guidance or support for navigating such an important change.
On behalf of the more than 400,000 Americans living with MS, Monster®, the leading global online careers and recruitment resource and flagship brand of Monster Worldwide, Inc (NASDAQ: MNST), the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the nation’s leading MS organization; Biogen Idec and Elan, are joining together to launch MS Workplace, a first-of-its-kind online initiative that will provide MS-specific career advice, workplace tips, and job postings targeted toward the MS community. According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, every hour someone is diagnosed with MS, an autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system (CNS), and most of the newly diagnosed are in their prime career-building years of 20 to 50.
“MS Workplace presents a win-win for employers and candidates alike,” said Steve Pemberton, chief diversity officer, Monster. “Job seekers get a more personalized experience and can leverage Monster’s leading tools and services to advance their careers, and employers can learn more about multiple sclerosis while fostering diverse and inclusive workforces.”
MS Workplace is a free, web-based resource that includes convenient links to educational and career information, as well as job search capabilities. By logging on to www.MSWorkplace.com, users will be able to easily access content to help them better understand how to “manage” their MS while continuing down their career paths. Site features will include:
Content for helping people with MS prioritize their workplace goals
Tips for talking with supervisors and colleagues about MS
Answers to frequently asked employment-related questions regarding MS
Information for those with MS looking to re-enter the workforce
“Because MS typically interrupts people’s lives just as their careers are beginning to take off and families are getting started, people with MS tend to be especially committed to overcoming disease-related limitations in the workplace,” said Steven Nissen, Director of Employment Programs, National MS Society. “No two people experience MS in quite the same way, which is why it is important to have thorough information that covers a wide range of topics related to employment issues.”
Gyselle Saner of Miami has been with the same company for 12 years, during which time her employer has been very understanding about her MS. “Shortly after joining the company, I was diagnosed with MS and I experienced numerous relapses that took a considerable toll on me. Things began to turn around when I started a new treatment and was able to expand my role at the office,” says Gyselle. “But there have been times when I have had to ask myself whether I can continue to work and what I really want from a job because so much of my energy goes towards managing my MS. It’s at times like this when people with MS, including myself, can benefit from the clarity, advice and opportunities provided by a resource like MS Workplace.”
The initiative is made possible through a collaboration between Biogen Idec, Elan, Monster, and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Biogen Idec is a leader in the discovery, development and manufacturing of MS therapies with two products on the market and several in development; Elan is a partner of Biogen Idec; Monster is the premier global online employment solution; and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society helps each person address the challenges of living with MS.
About Monster Worldwide
Monster Worldwide, Inc. (NASDAQ: MNST), parent company of Monster, the premier global online employment solution for more than a decade, strives to inspire people to improve their lives. With a local presence in key markets in North America, Europe, and Asia, Monster works for everyone by connecting employers with quality job seekers at all levels and by providing personalized career advice to consumers globally. Through online media sites and services, Monster delivers vast, highly targeted audiences to advertisers. Monster Worldwide is a member of the S&P 500 index and the NASDAQ 100. To learn more about Monster’s industry-leading products and services, visit www.monster.com. More information about Monster worldwide is available at www.monsterworldwide.com.
About the National Multiple Sclerosis Society
MS stops people from moving. The National MS Society exists to make sure it doesn’t. We help each person address the challenges of living with MS. In 2006 alone, through our home office and 50-state network of chapters, we devoted nearly $126 million to programs that enhanced more than one million lives. To move us closer to a world free of MS, the Society also invested more than $46 million to support 380 research projects around the world. We are people who want to do something about MS now.
Studies show that early and ongoing treatment with an FDA-approved therapy may reduce future disease activity for many people with multiple sclerosis. Talk to your health care professional and contact the National MS Society at www.nationalmssociety.org or 1-800-344-4867 to learn about ways to help manage multiple sclerosis and about current research that may one day reveal a cure.
About Biogen Idec
Biogen Idec creates new standards of care in therapeutic areas with high unmet medical needs. Founded in 1978, Biogen Idec is a global leader in the discovery, development, manufacturing, and commercialization of innovative therapies. Patients in more than 90 countries benefit from Biogen Idec’s significant products that address diseases such as lymphoma, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. For product labeling, press releases and additional information about the company, please visit www.biogenidec.com.
About Elan
Elan Corporation, plc is a neuroscience-based biotechnology company committed to making a difference in the lives of patients and their families by dedicating itself to bringing innovations in science to fill significant unmet medical needs that continue to exist around the world. Elan shares trade on the New York, London and Dublin Stock Exchanges. For additional information about the company, please visit www.elan.com.