Banner Bank is laying off employees here for the first time since it entered the Spokane market.

Kelly McPhee, Spokane-based vice president of communications and public relations for the Walla Walla-based bank, says six people here have received reduction-in-force notices.

“What we foresee in the coming year is a continuation of this low-rate environment,” she says. “It’s causing us to take a look and say, what do we need to do over the coming year to make sure that we stay fiscally healthy and sound for the long-term success of the company?”

Up to 28 of Banner’s 2,200 total employees could separate from employment in early April, McPhee says.

“That’s if they feel like they’re not a fit for the positions that are already open in the company,” she adds. “We currently have 85 open positions.”

Those 28 employees will receive priority consideration for open positions, she says.

McPhee says Banner also is offering services to help those employees find positions outside of the bank if none of Banner’s open positions appeal to them.

“We gave them a 60-day advance notice, so that we could work with them and try to find them a new position within the company, or if they’d prefer to look outside, we can assist them with some additional tools and resources to help them secure that position,” McPhee says. “That includes gaining interviewing skills, assisting people with building LinkedIn profiles, resume assistance, all kinds of employment coaching.”

Laid-off employees will receive enhanced severance based on years of service, McPhee says.

Banner previously had not had a reduction in force in the Spokane area, she says.

“We’ve been able to meet any necessary budget adjustments through nonpersonnel budget reductions in the past,” she says.

McPhee contends the workforce reduction is unrelated to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This is a year, when we think about that ongoing low-rate environment, that we weren’t able to meet the tightening of the belt exclusively in nonpersonnel expenses,” McPhee says. “We don’t take this lightly. Banner has a long history of doing everything we can to retain our employees.”

Banner has more than 380 employees in the Spokane area, McPhee says. Those employees are spread out throughout 22 locations, including 12 branches, a commercial banking center, and nine support department offices.