• December 15, 2010

 United Continental Holdings, Inc., parent company of Continental Airlines and United Airlines is going the route of Mary Kay Cosmetics, famous for awarding ubiquitous pink cars to its top salespeople.

Starting Jan. 1, the company is offering a program in which employees with perfect attendance for six months will be eligible to participate in an annual drawing to win a new car, with the company awarding 11 new cars annually. United will pay all taxes associated with the vehicle.

Employees will also be eligible for a rolling six-month award that rewards perfect attendance with a $50 cash award, a $50 donation made to United's employee relief fund on the employee's behalf, or 5,000 frequent flyer miles.

Continental Airlines has had a Perfect Attendance Program for more than a decade, and in that time has given away more than 180 vehicles. In addition, Continental has on average given away more than 15,000 rolling six-month Perfect Attendance Awards annually. Continental has seen a measurable improvement in attendance, and a reduction in related costs, as a result of the Perfect Attendance Program.--Tanya Irwin