News

Customer Pandemic Notice

11/25/2020

November 25, 2020

At Washington Savings Bank, the health and safety of our customers, coworkers and community is our top priority. As the pandemic continues to evolve, we are monitoring it closely. 

We have been monitoring several factors which have included, but are not limited to:

  • The recent uptick in cases, on a local, regional and national level;
  • The continued designation of our communities as “red” or “high-risk” by the state authorities;
  • The belief by many public health experts that we are now in the middle of the second wave of the pandemic;
  • The concern that new cases will rise in the coming week as the result of holiday gatherings, “Covid fatigue” and rate of community transmission; and
  • The desire to keep our customers, employees and their families safe.

We know that you rely on us every day for your financial needs, and we will continue to provide reliable access to the banking services you count on.  Throughout the pandemic, we have remained operational, with some modifications to services, and we expect to continue to remain operational at both locations.  You should expect that our offices will continue to operate during their posted hours. We have continued to take multiple steps to minimize health risks to our staff, customers and communities. Our offices are professionally cleaned with additional sanitization each night, our staff routinely wipes down high-touch areas throughout the day, and masks are required while in our lobby. We have recently installed REME-HALO air purification devices in all of our HVAC units, to further sanitize the air flowing into the offices.

While our branches are able to provide services, we strongly encourage you to use Washington Savings Bank’s online and mobile banking tools, ATM machines and other resources for self-service banking and 24/7 account access. 

What Changes Can You Expect When Visiting The Bank?

Starting Friday, November 27, 2020 we will be making changes to how we provide services.

  • The Dracut office will offer drive thru service only. Transactions normally provided in the lobby will be provided at the drive thru.
  • Drive thru lanes have directional signage to assist with traffic flow.
  • Safe deposit box access is available with a prior appointment and the time for those visits is limited to ten minutes. Customers will be required to wear a mask or cloth face covering for the duration of their visit.  Please contact the Dracut office directly at 978-569-1500 to make an appointment.
  • The lobby in Lowell is open for banking services. All customers entering the Lowell lobby will be required to wear a cloth face covering or mask for the duration of their visit.  All banking services will be provided at the Lowell teller line. Access to coin counting machines, offices, seating and waiting areas will all be restricted.
  • All vendors and delivery people will be required to sign in, provide their name and contact information and wear a mask or face covering.
  • If you are unable or unwilling to wear a face covering, please contact customer service in advance of your visit.
  • Access to the Lowell lobby will be limited to those conducting transactions only. Social distancing must be maintained at all times. Depending upon customer volume, you may be asked to wait outside.

What If I Need To Visit The Bank?

Prior to your visit, please answer these 6 questions:

1.   Have you or a household member been diagnosed with COVID-19 within the last 14 days?

2.   Have you been exposed to anyone else diagnosed with COVID-19 within the last 14 days?

3.   Have you had symptoms of COVID-19 which include but are not limited to a dry cough, a fever over 100?F or shortness of breath atypical of normal seasonal allergies within the last 14 days?  

4.   In the last 14 days, have you been asked by your employer or anyone else to self-isolate?

5.   Have you traveled by plane in the last 14 days?

6.   Have you stayed overnight outside of Massachusetts, New Hampshire or Vermont in the last 14 days? 

If you answer “yes” to one or more of the questions above, please contact customer service for assistance prior to visiting the branch.

We ask that anyone who is experiencing a fever, flu or respiratory illness to please postpone their visit to Washington Savings Bank for the time being. 

We ask those who have recently traveled to certain areas outside of Massachusetts, New Hampshire or Vermont or those who may have had exposure to Coronavirus to please postpone their visit to the bank for the appropriate amount of time.

What Electronic Services Are Available? 

  • Our digital banking services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, allowing you to perform most banking transactions from your home or office location. You can deposit checks, transfer money between accounts at WSB and your other financial institutions, check your balances, review account activity, pay bills and more.  We also offer Zelle®, which allows person to person payments between individuals. More information on Zelle® can be found here: https://www.washingtonsavings.com/zelle/index.html
  • If you need to download our mobile app, or enroll in online banking, please follow this link to our digital banking web page to get started: https://www.washingtonsavings.com/services-tools/digital-banking.html You can also search in the app store for Washington Savings Bank, Lowell Mass.  Our app icon resembles an American flag.
  • Our staff is available to assist with your banking needs or any questions you may have via phone at 978-458-7999 or via email at [email protected]  They can also help you set up online and mobile banking. As a reminder, please do not include sensitive account or personal information in any email to us.
  • Should you wish to file an online mortgage application you may do so by following this link: https://washingtonsavings.mortgagewebcenter.com/
  • Should you need to open a new checking or savings account, you may do so by following this link:  https://www.washingtonsavings.com/open-an-account.html

What Steps Can You Take?

  • Be alert for fraud. Since the onset of the pandemic there have been many cases of fraud, nationwide. We have seen a prevalence of fraudulent unemployment claims in our local communities, and we encourage you to be vigilant.
  • Do some research before making a donation. Be wary of any business, charity or individual requesting COVID-19-related payments or donations in cash, by wire transfer, gift card or through the mail. We are aware of many scams soliciting donations on behalf of research, treatment or cures for victims of COVID-19. 
  • Safeguard your email and home computer. There has been an increase in email related scams, with fraudsters working to exploit your personal information. Those accessing work systems from their home computers/networks must be especially careful.
  • Rely on official sources for the most up-to-date information on COVID-19. Visit the website for Centers for Disease Control and Prevention www.cdc.gov or the Massachusetts Department of Public Health www.mass.gov/orgs/department-of-public-health to keep track of the latest developments.

Remember that the safest place for your money is in the bank - it’s physically secure and it’s federally insured. When you deposit your money at a bank, you get the comfort of knowing that your funds are secure and insured by the government. You don’t have the same level of protection when your money is outside the banking system.  For more information visit the FDIC’s website www.fdic.gov and the Depositors Insurance Fund website www.difxs.com.

We appreciate your patience and understanding during this time and assure you that we will resume normal operations when it is safe to do so. We will continue to closely monitor the situation and evaluate additional measures to support our customers and communities as needs arise.

Sincerely,

 

James B. Hogan, Esquire

President & CEO