Are any banks out there allowing an Operations Assistant/Utility (a non-exempt position) to open and close their branches or be the senior employee on site for Saturdays? In all places I have worked, an officer was mandated to be on site in order for access to be allowed to the building. It seems to be an issue filled with potential liability!

Being a small bank, we have nonofficers do this on Saturdays. However, there is an officer at the main bank on Saturdays that can be called for assistance if necessary. Our nonofficers with this responsibility are very experienced though. We are confident that these tellers follow all procedures and will call for assistance when the situation arises. We certainly would not let a lesser experienced and knowedgeable teller assume this responsibility.

Have you considered that by having non exempt employees assume responsibilities normaly reserved for officer classifications, that you may be open to suit for paying these people less than officers are paid?

In addition to the points already made, it seems officer duties, such as check approvals, etc. are being imposed on those employees without the level of authority that's sometimes needed.

When I was faced with this issue as a previous Branch Manager, if we couldn't have an officer from the Branch or main location available, we would "borrow" officers from other branches and locations. I think having no officers in the location is risky.

What regs require that an officer be on duty? I've worked at 2 different institutions that did not always have an officer on duty for Saturdays or sometimes opening or closing.

We don't require it or even ask for it....we're 8 billion in assets, 150 branches in 6 states..employees are trained for this..never been a problem..

I'm not aware of any regulations that require that an officer be on duty; I'm just thinking of internal controls and levels of authority for approvals.

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Have you considered that by having non exempt employees assume responsibilities normaly reserved for officer classifications, that you may be open to suit for paying these people less than officers are paid?

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I'm an officer, and there are Admins making more than I do. Unfortunately, our pay is structured by which department you work in and who likes you more as to how much you get paid. I don't think someone's pay is part of what they are asked to do in lieu of an officer being present.