Work from home

The company will now begin bringing back staffers who have been working remotely on Oct. 18, rather than Oct. 4, according to an internal memo Wednesday from Chief Operating Officer Scott Powell.

The Boston-based firm plans to close its two midtown Manhattan offices, the company said. Its New York-based staff will work remotely or from buildings in New Jersey and Connecticut.

Wells Fargo is pushing its return-to-office plans back a month to early October, citing rising COVID-19 rates across the U.S.

The San Francisco company said it will offer workers varying degrees of flexibility based on job type and experience. The bank will also collect data on who has been vaccinated.

CEO Richard Fairbank told employees they can continue to work remotely on Monday and Friday, though the company is still encouraging them to “spend meaningful time” in the office collaborating.

Citigroup joined rivals including UBS Group in touting its flexible work policies as a tool that will offer a competitive edge in recruiting and retaining top staff.

The nation’s largest bank is ordering workers to fill out a questionnaire on their vaccination status by the end of this month, CEO Jamie Dimon and other members of the operating committee wrote in a memo to staff Wednesday.

The policy, outlined in an internal memo, is one of the most restrictive issued by a major U.S. bank so far.

More than 70% of U.S. bank workers expect their employers to allow some flexibility about where and when they do their jobs, according to a new survey from Arizent. The findings suggest that to attract and retain talent, banks will have to continue work-from-home arrangements that became standard during the pandemic.

American Express is planning to allow employees to work from home for at least part of the week on a permanent basis as the finance industry continues to unveil plans to bring staff back to the office.