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Abe knew she had to be there for the hospitals trips, for the baffling medical reports, for the exhaustion.

"It was my mother, I had to go," says Abe, an executive assistant at the Hawaii District Navy Exchange and a single mom with one daughter.

Abe had just one week of vacation to burn, then the bills would pile up.

That was reason to worry when her mother's illness was already enough to worry about.

But Abe's employer had a special program for situations like these.

Employees at the Navy Exchange can donate their vacation days to co-workers in need, like Abe.

"I have never worked for a company that had that type of thing and I think it's wonderful, especially when you are in a situation which is pretty sad anyway," says Abe, 43, who returned to work six weeks later, after her mother completed her round of treatment, without missing a pay check.

"It sure takes the burden off." LARGE COMPANY: MARYL GROUP HIGH ROLLERS: For the company's 20th anniversary, Maryl Group took its employees on a 4-day trip to Las Vegas.

The employee first policy at Maryl is paying off for the company, too.

In 2005, Maryl had its best year ever with $115 million in revenues, an 85 percent increase over 2004.

Pictured are Maryl owners Mark and Cheryl Richards, flanked by employees.

Photos by Jimmy Forrest Those types of benefits are part of the reason the Navy Exchange ranks No.

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