Investment Banking

Wall Street firm Evercore Partners will pay junior bankers not to work

Banks aren’t in financial distress this time, but they are bracing for a decline in deal-making as the pandemic drags on

Evercore Partners Inc. is offering to pay incoming junior bankers up to $25,000 to delay starting their jobs during the coronavirus pandemic, according to external recruiters, a move that hasn’t been seen on Wall Street since the last financial crisis.

Recent college graduates who were due to start at Evercore later this summer will get $15,000 if they defer their start date until January and $25,000 if they wait until next summer to join, said recruiters who are in touch with incoming employees. A spokesman for Evercore declined to comment.

WSJ Logo