Are Banks essential?

[Suchan1d10t]

Sorry for the long post, I started replying to another post but didn't want to hijack.

My Aunt works in a high street bank, basic cashier role, customer facing all day and handling cash.

She is 60+ and in the at risk group for respiratory illness, and her work are threatening her with disciplinary action if she has any more time off sick as she was off for almost a month after Christmas with a severe chest infection that didn't respond to medication.

I appreciate we all need banks, and to do financial transactions, but does that have to be face to face?

She's already been refused the option to work 'back office' to avoid the risk, despite regularly being rota'd to work it in the past

Our local travel agents (until today) were working in store but not allowing customers in.

With shops everywhere asking people to avoid using cash, and the advances in online banking, do banks need to stay open to customers?

I'm biased, I know that, as I'm fearful for her health (I'm terrified) , but is she just going to have to 'put up or shut up' and do you think banks should remain open?

For the record, I live in the town she works in and bank with the same bank, and honestly couldn't tell you the last time I went into (or even called) the bank to carry out a transaction.
I appreciate the older generation are often not so tech savvy wrt online banking etc, but also as far as I am aware, neither do they get pensions etc in cash from post offices anymore? (again I may be tooootttaaallllyyyy out of date on that one)

Yabu - people need banks, its one of those things

Yanbu - banks should perhaps reconsider how they operate given current circumstances

Banks are essential

Yes banks are essential

Banks are 1000% essential in this specific crisis

Not everyone can work out online shopping never mind online banking. Banking is essential.

I work in a bank. We are getting loads of requests for mortgage payment holidays, freezing of overdraft fees, customers’ cards not working or locked out of online banking, etc etc. Because people are on lockdown they need to use online banking more, so we need to ensure people have access to their money.

Wrong question maybe?

Banks and the banking system are essential, but probably not face to face branches.

Banks are undoubtedly essential, and they're not going to make operational changes at this point. They have to be available for their customers.

Banks are essential. Your aunt's bank are failing in their duty of care if she is vulnerable and they are not taking account of that :-(

A lot of small food shops need banking facilities to bank their takings so yes, they are essential right now.

Banks are essential but the employer is being unreasonable.

I run a credit union in Northern Ireland. Its essential right now so that people can get access to savings and credit. They sometimes need to come to the counter. We are helping our front office staff by reducing the hours that we are open, making appointments for things that take longer, rotating staff around so that everyone gets a break from he front, having glass in front of them, encouraging more phone and online transactions etc. Your bosses should be helping her and colleagues.

Yabu. If you are at home you may need cash for others to pay for essentials on your behalf. Someone has to refill the cash machines and check their balances. Presumably you will still need to continue to process payments, get cash receipts in, access funds, have potential fraud monitored and investigated ... In the meantime others including small businesses will be be expected to repay loans, access government support funding etc. Dh works for a smaller bank and issues surrounding cashflow and debt could affect longer term business and the wider economic recovery.

I work in head office for one of the big high street banks. Our branch, contact centre and technology staff are defined as key workers. Keeping branches open is one of our key priorities at the moment, so much so that we're asking office staff to help out in branches temporarily.

In our work (civil service) any time off with Covid -19 is exempt from the usual sickness warnings. Any staff who are vulnerable we had had working at home for a good 2wks now already.

Thanks all, I guess I should have made my AIBU clearer, as I meant specifically with regards to being open face to face and for personal customers, rather than expecting whole banks, call centres to shut down, of course that would be crazy!

@Livelovebehappy I totally agree with what you are saying, but not all those things have to be face to face. I have to admit though, if you DO want to call your bank it is nigh on impossible to actually call your local branch. They all have individual numbers but all redirect to 1 main contact centre

I should have also added that unlike @ZestyDragon their branch is entirely open, no glass screens between customer and employees either

She's even asked to take leave but they won't agree that either and her GP said they can't do anything in this instance either as she isn't actually unwell - yet-

I see all your points about the bigger picture, and agree it is necessary, I'm just frustrated that like @MillicentMargaretAmanda highlighted they don't seem to care about individuals.

I agree IABU just biased with worrying

@Violetroselily if you don't mind me asking, do you have anything in place for at risk staff? Aunts employers claim there is nothing they can do as they have no policy for covid-19 but surely as a large company they must surely have a business continuity plan at least?

They are essential and those who do need face to face are mostly in the most vulnerable group.

I was in our local post office today. They have put up a screen to protect their staff. Also screens have actually been put up at the tills in a local store.

Banks are essential. Dp works in a bank. They've reduced opening hours/days and all staff are one week on one week off. This with those high risk being sent home on full pay. Time for your aunt to contact her union?

delilah thanks, I'll suggest she contacts them, I'm sure she is a member.

I know what she does is important to keep things running, but I'm also terrified for her health

The issue is not with f2f banking but with her employer not risk assessing their staff. They have a legal obligation with or without this current crisis, to protect their staff, especially those vulnerable people on the payroll. No one really wants to go on the frontline but the younger, healthier ones stand a better chance than those with pre existing conditions. Also, the guidance is that anyone who is on certain medications for asthma and those that have had steroids in the past two months should be isolating. Check nhs and gov websites for more info.

If she had symptoms of an illness she could go into self isolation

Yes banks are required

Without banks you can’t access your funds, pay bills, buy groceries, apply to extend overdrafts (pretty essential for self employed earning fuck all I’d say)

Banking, for now is essential.