ALEXANDRIA, Va.–NCUA is pushing back its earlier announced plans for returning to normal operations at its headquarters offices as a result of the coronavirus.
The agency’s more than 1,000 employees have been working from home and conducting exams virtually since the onset of work-from-home rules across the country.
In an earlier Letter to Credit Unions, the agency said it had developed a multi-phase transition plan for the resumption of its on-site operations at both its facilities and at and credit unions. The transition plan was to begin July 6, although at the time it made the announcement it said it had built-in flexibility if a later implementation date is necessary.
That later implementation date is now necessary, according to NCUA Chairman Rodney Hood, who said the planned reopening will now be pushed back to a date to be announced later. He cited the latest numbers related to COVID-19, calling it a "highly fluid situation" in various geographic areas.
He said the phasing in of operations will not be a “one-size-fits-all approach” and will be tailored to individual markets.
Following the Science
NCUA Board Member J. Mark McWatters concurred with the decision, saying the epidemiologist with whom the agency has been consulting said it’s likely there will be another wave of COVID-19 in the Autumn and the virus will continue to spike for the rest of 2020.
“We should follow the science and not reopen the agency until the passing of the second COVID-19 wave,” said McWatters. “It is imperative we not put our staff at risk. I thank Chairman Hood for following the science.”