BNY keeps pushing RTO 4 days/week and open‑desk seating like nothing in the world has changed, while employees are left wondering whether leadership has even skimmed the latest CDC guidance on workplace exposure risks. The CDC may not mandate hantavirus controls, but it’s clear about best practices: identify and control rodent presence, seal workspaces, improve ventilation, use PPE when needed, and restrict work for exposed or symptomatic employees. OSHA’s general duty clause still applies — employers must provide a workplace free from recognized hazards. Rodent‑borne pathogens qualify.
Many employees in the Jersey City office in particular have reported concerns on this forum regarding concerns of rat infestation and control.
So here’s the question employees keep asking: Will BNY communicate anything at all? Will they adjust RTO, restrict open‑desk seating, or even acknowledge that shared workspaces increase exposure risks? Or will they continue the pattern — silence, spin, and “business as usual” — while employees shoulder the health risks?
With the recent cruise ship outbreak and the 2025 death of actor Gene Hackman's wife and dog, people are concerned and fearful, especially given current RTO policies.
BNY has a stewardship responsibility, not just a shareholder one. If state or local OSHA programs tighten requirements, the bank won’t be able to hide behind “CDC guidance is voluntary.” And even now, nothing stops BNY from adopting the CDC’s recommendations as a basic duty of care.
People aren’t asking for miracles. They’re asking for transparency, updated safety protocols, and a realistic assessment of whether RTO makes sense when exposure risks — viral or otherwise — are rising.
Until leadership addresses these concerns directly, employees are left to wonder whether workplace safety is a priority or just another line item to downplay.