IMPORTANT UPDATE REGARDING COVID-19 OPERATIONS

UPDATED: APRIL 12, 2021

IMPORTANT MAIN OFFICE LOBBY RE-OPENING INFORMATION – PLEASE READ COMPLETELY

As we continue to face the current coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic, our top priority at Credit Union of Atlanta is to balance the safety and health of our members and employees with our obligation to provide members access to their money. We continue to closely monitor the COVID-19 situation and take guidance and recommendations from government, and national, state and local health agencies. We also continue to take somewhat of a more cautious approach to service during this crisis because unlike larger financial institutions with multiple branches, we are a one-branch facility, and an infection of one person risks our having to close the whole credit union for an extended period of time. We appreciate your cooperation and patience as we continue to navigate these uncertain times.

Below is an important update we would like to share with you.

Main Office Lobby Re-opening

• Beginning Monday, April 19, 2021, Credit Union of Atlanta will re-open the Main Office Lobby. Social distancing will be enforced to limit the number of members in the lobby at one time to 17 people maximum, for Teller and Financial Services transactions.
• We continue to encourage you to conduct member service and loan transactions online or by phone. However, members may schedule in-person appointments for applications for new accounts and loans.
• The Pryor Street Lending Center will continue to be closed until further notice.

Types of Transactions Processed in the Lobby

While the lobby will re-open for teller transactions, we encourage members to continue to use our drive-thru, which  can handle almost all member transactions. Examples of those transactions are listed below:

• All teller transactions (cash/check withdrawals and deposits, cashier check purchases, loan payments, cash advances, gift cards, CU money cards, Movie and Six Flags tickets)

• Loan and New Account Services by Appointment Only (see below for instructions)

Most loans are closed by DocuSign from the comfort of your home. You can apply for loans online at www.cuatlanta.org or by calling (404) 658-6465, option 2. Our Mobile App and Online Banking services allow you to transfer funds, pay bills, get account histories, and more, all from the safety of your home.

IMPORTANT: Requests for account maintenance, histories, transaction details, balances, etc., will continue to be handled over the phone or by our online or iTalk phone banking platforms.

Types of Transactions Processed in the Drive-Thru

• Any and all teller transactions, including the purchase of one cashier’s check in the drive-in lane per visit. If you need multiple cashier’s checks, you may visit the lobby or please call us in advance at (404) 658-6465, option 7, and we will arrange for you to pick them up in the drive-in when you come in.
• Please observe and respect the cash withdrawal limits posted in the drive-thru.

Lobby Entry and Exit Process

• Members will enter the building at the ramp door on the Metropolitan Parkway side.
• Social distancing stickers will be marked on the sidewalk outside and on the inside lobby floor.
• Facial coverings will be required inside the lobby. If you do not have a facial covering, please visit us in the drive-thru lanes.
• The credit union will supply gloves for you to use if you request them while conducting your transaction.
• We will also have a supply of disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizer for use before and after your transaction.
• If you have an appointment with one of our Financial Service Officers (FSO) or Member Service Representatives (MRS), please check in at entrance with the security guard, then proceed to the front desk to let us know you’re here. We will verify the appointment and notify the staff person who will assist you.
• Members will exit the building on the Ralph David Abernathy side of the building, unless you are handicapped and need to use the ramp on the Metropolitan Parkway side of the building.
• Please note: Our restrooms and water fountain will remain closed during this time.

Types of Transactions Processed by Appointment

We will process the following types of transactions in the Main Office Lobby by appointment only:

• Loan applications and loan closings that cannot be processed electronically via email, fax or by DocuSign
• New account openings or changes to accounts that require an original signature
• Notary services

Appointment Protocol

Appointments will be scheduled as follows:

• You may schedule an appointment for any of the above types of transactions by calling the Main Office number and speaking with the Financial Service Officer handling your request, or you may request an appointment through the Secure Messaging system in online banking.
• If you come into the office to transact business at the teller line and also wish to conduct a transaction with an MSR or FSO and you do not have an appointment, we will make every effort to schedule an appointment as soon as a staff member becomes available.

• Appointments will be scheduled in thirty (30) minute increments from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM Monday through Thursday, and 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM on Fridays. Please observe and respect these time parameters so that we may wait on as many people as possible during the day.
• When you arrive at the credit union for your appointment, please notify the security guard at the Metropolitan Parkway entrance that you are here for your appointment. The Financial Services Officer will come and escort you back to the appropriate office.

Remember, you can conduct most deposit and withdrawal services through the Main Office drive-thru, by visiting our website, one of our own or nationwide ATMs, a shared branch (see our website for these locations) or using our online, mobile, and iTALK telephone services (see our information below for enrollment information if you haven’t signed up).

• Mobile and Online Banking allow you to transfer funds, pay bills, get account histories and more from the safety of your home.
• Our online, mobile, and iTALK telephone services provide information you need about your accounts.
• Information on accessing/enrolling in these services, is available on our website by clicking on the “Access” tab at the top of the home page, then clicking the “Important Systems Upgrade Information” link.
• Please respect the cash limits we have placed on drive-in transactions. We must adhere to these limits, so as to expedite the traffic flow in the drive-thru.

If you cannot get to the credit union during operating hours, you can also use CUA ATMs and any ATM that is part of the STARsf or MoneyPass surcharge-free networks for your cash needs. Please remember that we are also members of the CO-OP Shared Branching network. Information on these services is on our website at www.cuatlanta.org on the home page.

Also, please remember the Main Office night depository which you can use to drop off deposits and loan payments, and they will be posted the next business day. If you can’t make it to our Main Office and need to make a payment on your loan, you can call us and we’ll be glad to take the payment over the phone, or you can go to our website, click on the “Borrow” tab at the top of the home page, then click “Make a Loan Payment.”

We also recommend you limit your need to carry cash by using your CUA debit or credit cards for routine purchases. If you do not have one of our cards, please apply for one today. We’ll even pay for “Rush Order” shipping of the card to your home. Our fixed rate Visa credit card rates start as low as 6.95% APR, and you can apply for one on our website at www.cuatlanta.org.

Thank you for Your Patience and Cooperation in Helping Reduce the Spread of COVID-19

We are taking these actions to protect our members and employees. Much like other businesses, we are experiencing staff limitations due to childcare and other causes. Given the importance of keeping our communities safe and minimizing the spread of COVID-19, we feel these actions, though inconvenient, are the prudent course of action.

In closing, please remember that in most cases you don’t need to visit us to transact most business, and you can get your financial needs taken care of and questions answered right at home. As always, we thank you for being a Credit Union of Atlanta member. We also thank you for doing your part by taking extra steps to stay healthy.

For further information, some Frequently Asked Questions and their answers are below:

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are the hours for the Main Office?
   1. Monday through Thursday, from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM

Friday, from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM

 

2. When does CUA anticipate the Pryor Street Lending Center will re-open?
   2. Our top priority is to balance the safety and health of our members, employees and vendors with our obligation to provide members access to their money. We will continue to closely monitor the COVID-19 situation and take guidance and recommendations from national, state and local health agencies. Regardless, our goal is to continue providing assistance to members throughout the COVID-19 crisis. The status of reopening the Pryor Street Lending Center will be reevaluated as more information is available. We greatly appreciate your patience as we serve you through our Main office lobby, drive-in and our other remote delivery channels.

 

3. What types of transactions can I complete through Mobile and Online Banking?
   3. Mobile and Online banking offers many of the same services available in a branch, including the ability to check your balances, transfer funds, pay bills, obtain histories, set up alerts, get the location of the nearest surcharge-free ATMs, send secure messages to our staff regarding your accounts, and more, all from the safety of your home.

 

4. What do I need to do if I need to skip a payment on my loan?
   4. To take advantage of Skip-a-Pay, call the Collections Department at the credit union at (404) 658-6465, option 3, but please know we are currently experiencing high call volume and longer-than-usual wait times. If you are currently delinquent on your loan, please call our Collections department for payment arrangements. Please note: you can only skip future payments. We cannot reimburse you for payments you have already made. Depending on your current situation, you may be asked to provide documentation as to your work/employment status. We ask for this information in order to fully evaluate your circumstances, and to substantiate your request. We appreciate your cooperation in providing us this information. Also, if you are more than 30 days past due on your loan, your request for a deferment may be denied, or we may ask you for additional information to support your request.

 

5. What types of loans are eligible for a Skip-A-Pay option?
   5. The Skip-A-Pay option is available for any unsecured, vehicle, boat, motorcycle, and recreational loans. For other loan types, please contact us at (404) 658-6465, option 3 to discuss your situation. 

 

6. If I have more than one loan with CUA, can I skip a payment on each loan?
   6. Yes, you may be able to skip payments on each eligible loan. Each member’s situation will be different than another’s, so please be prepared to talk to us about the details of your current situation. There may be other options available to you, based on your own circumstances.

 

7. What is CUA doing about foreclosures and repossessions?
   7. If you are already more than 60 days or more delinquent on your loan, please contact our Collections Department at (404) 658-6465, option 3. If your loan has become delinquent because of COVID-19, we will suspend repossession or foreclosure action up to 60 days past the date on which we would normally begin such proceedings.

 

8. What other Emergency Service Offerings will CUA provide?
   8. We are also offering a temporary set of services to help members offset the economic impacts of COVID-19. This list of services is subject to change and certain eligibility requirements may apply.
      1. A second Freedom Loan of up to $1,000, in addition to any current Freedom Loan you have outstanding (option: you may combine the two advances into one loan if you choose) – normal underwriting guidelines apply, call the credit union’s Loan Department at (404) 658-6465, option 2, for details.
      2. “Member Income Interruption” loans are available. Please contact the Loan Department at (404) 658-6465, option 2. Subject to credit approval.
      3. We will allow you to extend your first payment on any new loan for up to 60 days from the date of the loan.
      4. Any application you submit for a loan will be kept active for 45 days, instead of the normal 30 days. In that way, you can take your time about making any purchasing decisions you’re considering.

 

9. Is my money safe at Credit Union of Atlanta?
   9. Absolutely, your money is safe. Your deposits – up to at least $250,000 – are federally insured by the NCUA (National Credit Union Administration). Credit Union of Atlanta has been in business since 1928, so we’ve weathered the Great Depression and the Great Recession. And we will surely be around after COVID-19 is history.

 

For your own safety, we encourage you to use your debit card for your everyday transactions, instead of carrying cash. If you do prefer to use cash, we encourage only withdrawing the amount of cash you will need for the next three days or so, and not keeping large amounts of cash at home. 

 

10. Will the limitation of 6 electronic transfers per month from a savings account be removed?
    10. Yes. Recent changes in the regulation have allowed us to suspen temporarily the limitation on the number of electronic transfers from a savings account.

Putting People and Our Community First

We’ve implemented the following precautionary steps to minimize the possibility of spreading COVID-19 in the communities we serve and to provide members as much peace of mind as possible when conducting your banking needs with us.

• As a precautionary step, we are disinfecting our offices and work surfaces daily.
• We have provided extra cleaning and sanitizing supplies and are using them to wipe down workstations at least twice a day.
• We’ve asked our employees to make sure they are taking everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, such as working from home when possible, staying at home if sick, washing and disinfecting hands, sanitizing personal items and workstations, and we are practicing social distancing while at work.

Protect Yourself from Cybercriminals Taking Advantage of Concerns about COVID-19

With the increasing concerns regarding COVID-19, cybercriminals are using this time to create scams in an attempt to steal your personal information or infect your devices with harmful malware. For example, there has been a recent report of a fraudulent email that appeared to be from the CDC Health Alert Network claiming to provide a list of local cases. To access the list, recipients were instructed to click on a link in the email and then input personal information.

How Do I Stay Protected?

• When searching for information about the coronavirus, only use reputable sources such as the U.S. Center for Disease Control or the World Health Organization.
• Be on the lookout for phishing emails that at first glance appear to come from a trusted source. Never click on unknown attachments, links or provide personal identifiable information via an unsecure website.
• Be cautious of emails and phone calls offering unexpected or unprompted information in which the sender/caller requests your personal information.
• Not all advertisements are created equal. Social media companies, such as Facebook, are cracking down on ads spreading coronavirus rumors, however, some false ads may make it through their filters. It's best to find information on the disease from official sources like the U.S. Center for Disease Control or the World Health Organization.
• As a reminder, if you suspect any fraudulent activity, please contact CUA at (404) 658-6465, and report the activity to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) as soon as possible.

 

Please call us at (404) 658-6465 if you have been impacted by COVID-19 and need assistance managing your CUA loans or accounts, or if we may be of assistance to you and your family in any other way.

Please stay safe.

Yours sincerely,

Allen Upchurch

President/CEO