Fed Rebuked Over Loan Terms That Don’t Explicitly Bar Layoffs

  • Businesses to make ‘reasonable’ efforts to keep workers: Fed
  • Oversight board members pledge close watch on stimulus use
The Marriner S. Eccles Federal Reserve building stands in Washington, D.C.Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg
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The Federal Reserve is facing mounting questions from members of a key watchdog for not requiring mid-sized businesses to refrain from layoffs in exchange for accepting taxpayer-backed funds.

The Fed drew rebukes from two appointees from the Congressional oversight committee after it updated a term sheet for its Main Street Lending Facilities Thursday that included guidance on whether participants should make efforts to retain workers.