Press Release

Abbott Named One of the 'Top 10' Innovative Family-Friendly Companies by Working Mother Magazine

Abbott Honored as One of the Working Mother 100 Best Companies for the Eighth Straight Year

	Recognition as a Leading Business
	Recognition as a Premier Employer
	Recognition for Scientific Innovation
	Recognition as a Responsible Corporate Citizen

Abbott Park, Illinois, September 23, 2008 (NYSE: ABT)

News Facts

Working Mother magazine announced that Abbott was one of the "Top 10" companies on the 2008 Working Mother 100 Best list, one of the most prestigious honors recognizing companies for innovation in providing a family-friendly workplace.
This marks the eighth consecutive year that Abbott has been honored on the Working Mother 100 Best Companies list – a reflection of the company's commitment to helping employees succeed at work and at home.
Working Mother recognized Abbott for offering groundbreaking family-friendly benefits that reach not only working mothers, but also fathers, adoptive parents and grandparents. For example, Abbott recently launched "Freedom to Work," a program that offers employees a phased retirement option on their terms – including more flexibility and the freedom to pursue new roles and opportunities in and out of the office, without affecting their benefits.
Other standout Abbott programs help employees and their families enjoy a healthier life, including on-site fitness centers; free Abbott medicines, glucose meters and test strips; free confidential health assessments and screenings; and access to a personal health coach.
The "Top 10" list and additional information is available in the October issue of Working Mother magazine, available on newsstands and at www.workingmother.com.

Quotes

"At Abbott, we are committed to helping employees build extraordinary careers. We're proud to be recognized once again for developing programs that meet the evolving needs of our employees, their families and our business. Abbott's family-friendly workplace provides working mothers, fathers, grandparents and all of our employees with the flexibility, support and professional development they need to succeed at every stage in their lives."
Stephen Fussell, Senior Vice President,
Human Resources, Abbott

"Once again, Abbott has shown it is a leader in offering innovative programs that help working families, including comprehensive benefits, flexible work options, health and wellness initiatives, and phased retirement. We are excited to honor them as one of our 'Top 10' companies."
Carol Evans, CEO, Working Mother Media

Abbott Widely Recognized as a Premier Global Employer

In addition to being included on the Working Mother 100 Best Companies list for the past eight years, Abbott has been named one of the "50 Best Places to Launch a Career" by BusinessWeek for three straight years and was included in the 2008 edition of the Princeton Review's Best Entry-Level Jobs. The company has been included on DiversityInc magazine's list of the top companies for diversity for many years, and has been recognized by Science magazine as a top employer for scientists. Abbott also has been honored as one of the best places to work in many countries around the world, including Belgium, Canada, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy and the United Kingdom. Additionally, FORTUNE has named Abbott as one of "America's Most Admired Companies" every year since the list's inception in 1983.

About Working Mother and the 100 Best Companies List

Abbott was selected for the 2008 Working Mother 100 Best Companies based on an extensive application with more than 500 questions. The application included detailed questions about workforce, compensation, child care, flexibility programs, leave policies and more. It also checked the usage, availability and tracking of programs, as well as the accountability of managers who oversee them. Seven areas were measured and scored: workforce profile, compensation, child care, flexibility, time off and leaves, family-friendly programs, and company culture. For this year's 100 Best, particular weight was given to family-friendly policies, flexibility, leave policies and benefits for part-timers. A complete list of the 2008 Working Mother 100 Best Companies can be found at www.workingmother.com.

Founded in 1979, Working Mother magazine reaches 2 million readers and is the only national magazine for career-committed mothers. Its 22-year signature initiative, Working Mother 100 Best Companies, is the most important benchmark for work-life practices in corporate America. Working Mother is published by Working Mother Media, which was founded in 2001. Working Mother Media includes the National Association for Female Executives (NAFE), Diversity Best Practices, the WorkLife Congress, the Multicultural Women's Conference and Town Halls. Working Mother Media's mission is to champion culture change. For more information, please visit www.workingmother.com.

About Abbott

Abbott (NYSE: ABT) is a global, broad-based health care company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacturing and marketing of pharmaceuticals and medical products, including nutritionals, devices and diagnostics. The company employs more than 68,000 people and markets its products in more than 130 countries.

Media:
Matt Bedella
Tracy Sorrentino

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