Flushing Financial, parent company of Flushing Bank, and Empire Bancorp each advised the other they will not exercise their respective rights to terminate their previous merger agreement.

The agreement and plan of merger, dated Oct. 24, 2019, as amended, permitted opportunities to terminate after July 31 by the terms of the merger agreement.

Flushing and Empire are engaged in discussions for a longer-term extension of time to complete the merger.