Firms won’t have to repay their loans even if they don’t rehire all their laid off workers; Fed chair confirms the shortage is due to the coronavirus but is easing as the economy reopen.

The bank is encouraging staff to take the day off Friday to commemorate the end of slavery, but intends to keep branches open.

Barry Sommers, a former head of wealth management at the New York bank, is the latest high-level hire by Wells CEO Charlie Scharf.

They join an ever-expanding list of companies choosing to close offices early Friday to observe the day that commemorates the end of slavery.

The bank joins rivals such as Deutsche Bank AG and UniCredit SpA in forging ahead with job cuts that were put on hold at the outset of the pandemic.

Banks paid out nearly twice as much as they earned in the first quarter; Marilyn Booker, a managing director, said she was fired in December for pushing too hard on a diversity plan.

Wells Fargo Chief Executive Charlie Scharf, who vowed last month to do more to improve diversity within the firm's ranks, is tying executives' pay to their progress in doing so.

Speaking during the CUSO's virtual Member Forum, PSCU CEO Chuck Fagan noted that some data shows the economy may be beginning to rebound from the coronavirus, but some sectors are still struggling.

Sells, American Banker’s Digital Banker of the Year, explains how he encouraged his team to take risks on projects like a three-minute account opening process and a system that analyzes core data in real time to help set deposit prices.

The Maryland company said the additions, including a former bank CEO, will strengthen its “overall operational and strategic management."