The American Equity Underwriters, Inc. (AEU), the leading provider of workers’ compensation insurance for waterfront employers, was recently named as one of the Best Companies to Work for in Alabama in an annual ranking compiled by Business Alabama and Best Companies Group. 

This annual awards program – now in its 11th year – identifies, recognizes, and honors the best employers in Alabama, benefiting the economy, workforce, and businesses. 18 companies received the coveted award this year.

This marks the second year in a row for AEU to be recognized in the annual ranking. In the small-to-medium company category (15 to 249 employees), AEU ranked 4th among the 10 companies state-wide, and 2nd among companies in Mobile. 

AEU has 137 total employees, 55% of which are in Alabama. AEU also has employees in Metairie, La., Seattle, Wash., Philadelphia, Penn., and Washington, D.C.

“We put a focus on our employees as family,” said Michael Lapeyrouse, president and CEO of AEU. “It’s easy to make decisions on their behalf when you know your employees as people. You know about their families, and you understand what motivates them. We simply try to put our people first in all of our decisions, and people appreciate that.”

Companies meeting eligibility requirements from across the state entered the two-part survey process to determine the top workplaces in the state. The first part consisted of evaluating each nominated company's workplace policies, practices, philosophy, systems, and demographics. This part of the process was worth approximately 25% of the total evaluation. The second part consisted of an employee survey to measure the employee experience. This part of the process was worth approximately 75% of the total evaluation. The combined scores determined the top companies and the final rankings. Best Companies Group managed the overall registration and survey process in Alabama, analyzed the data, and determined the final rankings.

The rankings were revealed in the September 2020 issue of Business Alabama.