As the novel coronavirus spreads throughout the U.S., banks are adding extra benefits for employees working in branches as well as those pulled away from work to deal with illness and caregiving responsibilities.
They are paying bonuses to front-line employees still working, or offering extra paid time off for those who are sick or self-quarantined, financial assistance with child care, or virtual doctors’ appointments. In a global pandemic, the added benefits aren’t just the right thing to do for employees, they’re also a valuable public health measure that could help slow the disease’s spread, bankers say.
