Credit union regulator to begin ‘first phase’ of resuming onsite operations in some areas

The “first phase” in the agency’s plan to resume onsite operations will begin July 19 at the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), with staff and contractors permitted to volunteer to work onsite in locations where pandemic conditions have “sufficiently moderated,” the agency’s chairman said in a Letter to Credit Unions Wednesday.

Whether conditions have moderated enough will be determined based on public health data for those areas, the letter states.

“To the extent they exceed the NCUA’s safety protocols for Phase 1, NCUA staff working onsite in credit unions will generally be expected to follow credit union policies related to safety and security,” NCUA Chairman Todd Harper said in the letter. “To the extent possible, the NCUA will respect a credit union’s preference to not have examination staff onsite during this phase. However, the NCUA reserves the right to conduct onsite work at a credit union if necessary to address a serious and time-sensitive matter.”

The agency will continue to maintain heightened safeguards in its facilities to ensure the health and safety of staff and any visitors, the letter states. It said the agency will continue to monitor conditions and inform credit unions of any changes in how it plans to conduct operations, “including examination procedures and protocols affected by the pandemic.”