▁company ▁began ▁to ▁permit ▁public ▁access ▁to ▁a ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁lo bb y . ▁However , ▁B N Y ▁M ell on ▁remains ▁in ▁viol ation ▁of ▁its ▁agreement , ▁as ▁the ▁lo bb y ▁must ▁be ▁accessible ▁to ▁the ▁public ▁ 2 4 ▁hours ▁a ▁day . ▁ ▁Emp loyment ▁legal ▁issues ▁ ▁B N Y ▁M ell on ▁settled ▁foreign ▁b ri ber y ▁charges ▁with ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Sec ur ities ▁and ▁Exchange ▁Commission ▁( SE C ) ▁in ▁August ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁regarding ▁its ▁practice ▁of ▁providing ▁intern ships ▁to ▁relatives ▁of ▁officials ▁at ▁a ▁Middle ▁Eastern ▁invest ment ▁fund . ▁The ▁U . S . ▁SE C ▁found ▁the ▁firm ▁in ▁viol ation ▁of ▁the ▁Foreign ▁Cor rupt ▁Pract ices ▁Act . ▁The ▁case ▁was ▁settled ▁for ▁$ 1 4 . 8 ▁million . ▁ ▁In ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 9 , ▁B N Y ▁M ell on ▁staff ▁considered ▁legal ▁options ▁after ▁the ▁company ▁b anned ▁employees ▁from ▁working ▁from ▁home . ▁In ▁particular , ▁staff ▁c ited ▁concerns ▁regarding ▁the ▁impact ▁on ▁child care , ▁mental ▁health , ▁and ▁divers ity . ▁The ▁company ▁revert ed ▁the ▁ban ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁employee ▁out c ry . ▁ ▁Other ▁legal ▁issues ▁ ▁In ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁B N Y ▁M ell on ▁settled ▁a ▁law suit ▁that ▁had ▁been ▁file d ▁against ▁the ▁Bank ▁of ▁New ▁York ▁by ▁the ▁Russian ▁government ▁in ▁May ▁ 2 0