Starbucks, with their 238,000 employees, provides support to employees participating in athletics at a world-class level. The program provides funds and scheduling flexibility to employees in good standing who work an average 20 hours or more a week and have been with Starbucks for a year or longer. The employee must maintain amateur status and participate at a world-class level in their sport. The Elite Athlete Program has been able to accommodate the need to travel for sports and the financial strain that follows.