Wells Fargo's Team Member Code of Ethics says your personal finances are private — but because you represent the bank, you have to manage them "properly and in a prudent manner."
What that means in practice:
- One accidental bounced check isn't a firing offense.
- But "writing worthless personal checks" is listed right alongside check kiting and fraudulent transactions as prohibited conduct. A pattern, or knowingly writing checks you can't cover, is an ethics violation — and those can end careers.
- The bank reserves the right to review team member accounts for unusual activity.
- In financial trouble? The Code points you to Employee Assistance Consulting for confidential help.
So: an honest mistake, no. A habit of writing checks on empty accounts, yes — the Code treats it as an integrity issue, not a private one.
Source: Wells Fargo Team Member Code of Ethics and Business Conduct (SEC filing)