Desert Financial Closing Branches Saturday, February 27th Giving Essential Employees Respite

PHOENIX, Feb. 23, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- 2020 was the year of the essential worker, and they deserved the overdue accolades.

At Desert Financial Credit Union, essential workers showed resilience and patience while meeting the demands of service delivery. In times of crisis, the public needs to trust their financial resources and futures are secure and accessible. It's why member-owned Desert Financial remained open when other financial institutions closed their doors to in-person services.

Desert Financial's Executive Management Team recognizes the dedication and hard work retail branch employees put in each day to remain open. In recognition, all branches will be closed Saturday, February 27^th, so employees can take a full weekend off to rest and renew.

While branches will be closed for the weekend, ATM, online and phone channels will be available for uninterrupted, contactless service.

"We're incredibly proud of our staff in the branches who work with members every day," said Cathy Graham, Executive Vice President at Desert Financial, who oversees the retail division. "Many of our members enjoy the connections they make with our warm, friendly tellers, loan officers and managers. For some, it might have been the only time they talked to another person all day. And on top of it, they performed beautifully and exceeded our planned goals for the year. Our retail staff deserves a full weekend to rest and reflect on their accomplishments in 2020!"

While conducting financial business by phone or online has become commonplace, many members prefer the personalized experiences at local branches. Throughout the pandemic, branch team members have served our members personally while implementing safety protocols to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Early on, investments were made in masks, biohazard cleaning and enhancements to encourage social distancing and promote safety in branches. Employees were also invited to apply for special funding to help those struggling financially, and benefits to most employees, such as personal time off, were increased to improve work and life integration including:

• Up to 80 Hours of Sick Leave Accrual: $333,162
• Up to 400 Hours of Vacation Time Accrual: $113,000
• Connection-building Workplace Activities: $48,950

During this one-of-a-kind year, Desert Financial also gave $3.9 million to local COVID-19 relief efforts and was also awarded three fitting honors: Angel of the Year–Business, one of Arizona's Most Admired Companies Honoree and the number two spot on the list of Best Places to Work.

As a member-owned cooperative, Desert Financial shares dividends with its members, team and community. The credit union that cares recently launched a statewide charter enabling members from nearly every corner of Arizona to join.

About Desert Financial Credit Union

Celebrating more than 80 years in years in Arizona, Desert Financial is the state's largest local credit union with $6 billion in assets, 350,000+ members and 47 branches. Membership eligibility is open across Arizona with contactless solutions via eBranch, making it easy to call, click or come in. As a not-for-profit cooperative, Desert Financial takes pride in sharing success. In 2020, members received $14 million in dividends via the Member Giveback Bonus, and Desert Financial gave more than $5 million in COVID-19 relief plus donations, scholarships and Random Acts of Kindness to our members, community and team. Learn more about the credit union difference at Desert Financial Credit Union and find news and information @desertfinancial on Twitter.

SOURCE Desert Financial Credit Union

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