Bluevine CEO and co-founder Eyal Lifshitz said his company has closed its office in Israel and is encouraging employees to work remote and remain at home as the country enters its sixth day of war with Palestinian Islamist group Hamas.
Hamas militants on Saturday launched an attack on Israel, killing more than 1,200 people, and taking at least 150 hostage. Israel has retaliated by deploying more than 1,000 airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, killing more than 1,300 people and imposing a blockade that has cut off power and food supplies to the Hamas-controlled region.
Since the conflict began, more than 20 Bluevine employees have been called to reserve duty, with more expected to join in the days and weeks to come, Lifshitz said.
Bluevine, which is headquartered in Jersey City, New Jersey, has 152 employees in Israel who work at the fintech’s office in Tel Aviv, according to a company spokesperson.
“First and foremost, the safety and well-being of our Bluevine colleagues and their families remain our top priority,” said Lifshitz, who launched the small business-focused fintech in 2013. “We are grateful to share that no Bluevine employees were physically injured in Saturday morning’s attack. However, we are not discounting the mental and emotional toll that the war is having on employees as much as their loved ones and fellow citizens.”
Bluevine said it is maintaining close communication with its Israeli employees and is providing additional support for employees on reserve duty as well as employees’ families who were impacted by the attack.
The company is also supporting donations and volunteerism and has added extra paid volunteer days to its annual standard allotment, Lifshitz said.
Following the deadly attack, the fintech said it is providing employees with mindfulness tools, articles and activities to help employees manage stress and anxiety stemming from the conflict.
The firm’s benefits provider in Israel has also initiated a dedicated emergency service line to provide employees with immediate support, Lifshitz said.
Other U.S. financial firms with a presence in Israel, including JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, Bank of America and Goldman Sachs, have directed employees to work from home amid the latest war between Israel and Hamas, according to Bloomberg.
A source at Citi told Banking Dive the firm is giving its Israel-based employees the option to work from home or the office.
“We are monitoring the situation in Israel carefully. The safety of our colleagues is our highest priority and at the same time we remain focused on serving our clients,” a Citi spokesperson told Banking Dive.
