Call centers become front line of banks' COVID-19 battle as first workers test positive

From the Charlotte Observer:

With millions of Americans unemployed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, bank call centers are swarmed with thousands of requests to delay mortgage payments, get fee waivers and help people sort out the biggest economic dislocation in recent memory. On top of that, their branches are generally thought of, by both the public and government as "essential," meaning they have to figure out a way to keep them open, hygienic and safe. "Amidst the pandemic, Wells Fargo needs to invest in its front-line workers and treat them as essential. That doesn't necessarily mean working from home, but that's not an unreasonable thing considering the resources of Wells Fargo," said Sandstrom, a member of the Committee for Better Banks, which is trying to organize the bank.