BOSTON, March 23, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Santander US
("Santander") announced today that it is taking important steps
across its businesses to assist and support its customers,
employees and communities impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic. In
addition, Santander has taken numerous precautionary measures to
help mitigate the risk of contagion.
"Banks are a critical part of our national infrastructure and
community fabric, especially in difficult times such as the current
Coronavirus pandemic, and we take very seriously our responsibility
to help our customers, employees and communities," said
Tim Wennes, Santander US CEO.
"Santander will continue to support all our stakeholders – today
and in the weeks and months ahead – as we face and, ultimately,
overcome this pandemic together."
To that end, we are taking the following actions for customers
affected by COVID-19:
For Santander Consumer and Chrysler Capital Auto Finance
Customers and Automobile Dealers
- We are assisting current customers who reach out to our
Customer Assistance Team, including:
-
- Expanded payment deferrals
- Waiving late charges
- Lease extensions for lessees unable to return their
vehicles
- For our Chrysler dealers and prospective Chrysler Capital
customers, we are partnering with FCA to launch new programs,
including:
-
- First payment deferred 90 days on select FCA models
- 0% Annual Percentage Rate for 84 months on select 2019/2020 FCA
models
For Santander Bank Consumer and Small Business
Customers
- Temporary payment suspension, and refunding late payment and
overdraft fees
- Stopping collections calls, and suspending mortgage and home
equity line of credit foreclosures
- Waiving CD early withdrawal penalties, and waiving outgoing
wire fees for consumers
- Increasing ATM cash withdrawal amounts available
- Offering a number of options for small businesses, including
extensions and payment deferral accommodations for existing
clients
- Offering credit card limit increases
For Employees
- Established a Temporary Emergency Paid Leave Program that
provides employees with up to 80 hours of additional paid time off
to use – either continuously or intermittently, and before
exhausting other paid time off – to assist with dependent care
needs related to the Coronavirus
- Providing $250 a week in pay
premiums for branch and other frontline customer support workers to
help defray additional costs incurred while coming to work during
the pandemic
- We are following detailed protocols to ensure the health and
safety of our employees; the majority of our non-location-dependent
employees are now working from home
- Implemented flexible and alternate scheduling among branches
and call centers
For Communities
Santander US is committed to supporting our communities impacted
by the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to our ongoing support
for nonprofit partners providing essential services in our
communities, including $15 million in
charitable giving this year, Santander will provide $25 million in financing to Community Development
Financial Institutions (CDFIs) to fund small business loans across
Santander Bank's footprint. We also
will expedite grant funding and payments where possible to help
sustain nonprofit operations during this challenging time.
Changes to Santander Bank Branch Operations to Support Social
Distancing
Starting March 23, 2020, some of
our branches will temporarily become Limited Service locations,
which will continue to perform teller transactions such as
depositing and cashing checks, handling requests for cash
withdrawals, money orders and cashier's checks either in the lobby
or at the drive-thru; investment, mortgage, and business
specialists will be available by appointment or over the phone.
Full Service branches will continue to operate with full servicing
capabilities including account openings and servicing.
Additionally, we will increase social distancing in our branches to
reduce risks for our customers and employees.
Contact Information for Customers:
Santander
Bank customers with Coronavirus concerns can
contact a service agent at (844) 728-0999, or online at
santanderbank.com/us/coronavirusupdates. Customers with hearing
impairments can call 800.428.9121 (TTY/TDD), seven days a week from
6 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET. Business
Banking customers may request assistance by calling (877) 768-2265
or contacting their Relationship Manager. Customers can utilize the
mobile banking app and access online banking via our website any
time to help with their banking needs.
Santander Consumer USA
(SC) customers who have questions about their accounts can
contact SC by phone at (888) 222-4227 or online at
www.santanderconsumerusa.com. Customers with Chrysler
Capital accounts can reach a service agent at 855-563-5635, or
online at www.chryslercapital.com.
Banco Santander International – Miami customers can call 1 (305) 530
2900.
Santander Holdings USA, Inc. (SHUSA) is a
wholly-owned subsidiary of Madrid-based Banco Santander, S.A.
(NYSE: SAN) (Santander), a global banking group with more than
145 million customers in the U.S., Europe and Latin
America. As the intermediate holding company for Santander's U.S.
businesses, SHUSA is the parent organization of six financial
companies with approximately 17,000 employees, 5.2 million
customers and assets of over $147 billion as of Dec. 31, 2019. These include Santander Bank,
N.A., Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc. (NYSE: SC),
Banco Santander International of Miami, Banco Santander Puerto
Rico, Santander Securities LLC of Boston, Santander Investment
Securities Inc. of New York, and several other
subsidiaries.
Santander Consumer USA
Holdings Inc. (NYSE: SC) ("SC") is a full-service consumer
finance company focused on vehicle finance, third-party servicing
and delivering superior service to our more than 2.9 million
customers across the full credit spectrum. The Company, which began
originating retail installment contracts in 1997, had an average
managed asset portfolio of approximately $59
billion (as of December 31,
2019), and is headquartered in Dallas. (www.santanderconsumerusa.com)
Media Contacts:
Laurie Kight
Santander US
214-801-6455
laurie.kight@santander.us
Nancy Orlando
Santander Bank
617-757-5765
nancy.orlando@santander.us
Annette Rogers
Santander Consumer USA
469.563.4157
Media@santanderconsumerusa.com
Investor Relations:
Evan Black
Santander US Investor Relations
800.493.8219
InvestorRelations@santanderconsumerusa.com
View original content to download
multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/santander-us-announces-covid-19-relief-efforts-301028271.html
SOURCE Santander Holdings USA,
Inc.