Pam Panchak, Post-Gazette Pam Panchak/Post-Gazette Robert Lent, left, Dave Duessel, and Diane Edelstein are partners at Maher Duessel, Downtown. Click photo for larger image.

Shortly after the birth of his first child 18 years ago, Dave Duessel left his job at one of the country's largest accounting firms so that he and a co-worker could start a small firm focused on government and nonprofit auditing.

The move, he thought, would allow him to spend more time with his family -- and to recruit others who thought the same way.

These days, there's almost an embarrassment of family-friendly riches at Maher Duessel, whose employees rated it the best place to work among offices with fewer than 50 employees in a Post-Gazette online survey.

In the last few months, the firm has had seven pregnancies, including twins delivered two weeks ago by one partner's wife, who also works at the firm.

To accommodate such lifestyle changes, the Downtown-based firm offers nearly unlimited flexibility. Some employees work three or four days per week, while another takes off July and August every summer. This summer, two new mothers will try a job-sharing arrangement for the first time.

"What's made us successful is recruiting really good people," said Mr. Duessel. "I'm pretty open to discussion [on family accommodations] because it's a way we can retain good people."

About 75 percent of the accountants at Maher Duessel are female, and Mr. Duessel is not shy about using the firm's family-friendly policies as a recruiting tool. Because most are the firm's clients are local, there's isn't much travel. And because the firm does minimal tax work, the workers don't see the hectic tax season common to other accounting firms.

That said, there's still plenty of work. The firm's choice of specialty -- government and nonprofit accounting -- turned out to be fortuitous as many of the bigger firms have gotten out of that business.

The firm's clients, which include Allegheny County and the city of Pittsburgh, also make the work more fulfilling than at public accounting firms, said Robert Lent, another of the firm's five partners. "The people that we serve are the people who need help," he said. "They can't afford the high-level CPAs. They need us to come in and hold their hand. You get a sense of satisfaction."

The firm has grown to just under 50 employees in the Pittsburgh area, with five hired just in the last year and another office recently opened in Harrisburg.

The work results in about 150 hours of overtime for Maher Duessel attorneys per year. "At a lot of CPA firms, that would be just the month of March," said Diane E. Edelstein, a partner there with two children of her own.

Ms. Edelstein described going to her son's soccer games and hearing other parents complain about having to take vacation to be there -- something that she's never had to do. "I might work a seven hour day and make up for it the next day," she said.

The firm also prides itself on its staff development, including helping new accountants get comfortable making presentations.

"If they're afraid to speak, they help another person research," said Bobbi Lasto, director of client relations. "We ease them into it. You can really see the change in some of them."

The support extends to administrative staff as well. "A lot of times I get e-mails that say, 'I don't know how you do it all,'" said Jeannette Walshak, administrative manager. "We know we're appreciated."

And despite accounting's staid reputation, the partners try to make the environment fun. Several times per year, Mr. Lent holds impromptu putting contests in the hallway, when he breaks out a portable hole that he keeps in a black zip-up case, and the office competes for small cash prizes.

Workers at other businesses that performed well in the Post-Gazette survey also touted fun events, flexible policies and a caring atmosphere in industries not often thought of as particularly accommodating.

Downtown accounting firm Horovitz, Rudoy & Roteman, which came in second in the poll, livened up busy Saturdays during tax season with Mardi Gras and Chinese New Year parties, as well as bingo games. "They truly seem to care that we have a life outside the office -- even during tax season," wrote Ericka Loften in online comments submitted as part of the PG survey.

At Downtown-based technology firm Summa Technologies, workers touted the stimulating work and supportive environment, not to mention games and beer provided by the company.

"I am in the minority among IT workers," wrote Summa employee Jeff Howell, who has worked for Pittsburgh tech companies for more than 30 years. "I'm not looking for my next job."