New York Has Over 5,000 Positive Cases, NBT Makes COVID-19 Adjustments

New York updates COVID-19 cases while NBT Bank and other financial institutions announce steps to help customers.

New York State is recording over 1,700 new cases of novel coronavirus, bringing the statewide total to over 5,000 with hundreds of test results still pending. 

Governor Andrew Cuomo has increased the mandated number of people companies should require to work from home.  March 19, the Democrat said 75-percent of non-essential companies’ workforce should stay home.

Exceptions are made for shipping, media, warehousing, grocery and food production, pharmacies, healthcare providers, utilities, banks and other industries critical to the supply chain.

Cuomo says the Department of Financial Services has issued a new directive to mortgage services to provide 90-day mortgage relief to borrowers impacted by the corona virus.

That includes waiving mortgage payments based on hardship, no negative reporting to credit bureaus, a grace period for loan modifications, no late payment fees or online payment fees and postponing or suspending foreclosures.

Norwich-based NBT Bank says it has temporarily increased daily limits for ATM withdrawals and mobile deposits, is temporarily waiving late fees, is temporarily waiving penalties for early CD withdrawals for up to $20,000 and has worked on relief through capital lines of credit and payment deferrals.  It is also temporarily increasing daily limits on mobile deposits and waiving late fees and some penalties for small business customers.