Earlier this week, Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02) welcomed Rebecca Hamilton, co-owner of Gilsum’s own W.S. Badger (or Badger Balm) to the White House for a roundtable discussion on workplace policies for small businesses. Kuster and Hamilton were joined at the discussion by President Obama’s senior advisor Valerie Jarrett, the First Lady’s Chief of Staff Tina Chen, and U.S. Small Business Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet, among others.

Tuesday’s discussion was part of the President’s Working Families Summit. The roundtable focused on best practices for small businesses when implementing workplace policies that affect the health and happiness of workers and their families, like flexible scheduling and family leave. Kuster was invited to bring a New Hampshire small business to the roundtable to provide input.

“I was so proud to welcome Ms. Hamilton to the White House to discuss Badger Balm’s truly innovative approach to business with its family-friendly work policies,” said Congresswoman Annie Kuster, who visited W.S. Badger headquarters earlier this year as part of her Congress-At-Your-Company series. “Badger Balm has received awards and accolades for its ‘Babies at Work’ and child care program, which provides in-house daycare for working parents. Ms. Hamilton was the perfect Granite Stater to share with President Obama’s advisors how family-friendly work policies can lead to a company’s success, and I thank her again for joining me at the White House yesterday.”

“It was an honor to join Congresswoman Kuster and so many inspiring leaders to discuss these important issues regarding women, business, and family-based practices, “ said Rebecca Hamilton, co-owner of W.S. Badger. “Being from a family owned, family operated, and family focused business, I was proud to represent our state.  We hope to continue to be a leader in business and to inspire others to implement more family-friendly policies whenever possible.”

A member of the House Small Business Committee, Congresswoman Kuster is committed to supporting sensible work policies that can help small businesses succeed. She recently unveiled a Women’s Economic Agenda, which outlines steps Congress can take to level the playing field for working parents. She also wrote a Middle Class Jobs and Opportunity Agenda, a blueprint based on meetings with Granite State residents, families, business owners and others, that outlines common sense steps to help create jobs in New Hampshire and around the country. She routinely visits small businesses and economic development projects across the state through her Congress-At-Your-Company series to hear how she can help support their success.

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