Chrysler has told employees to take a mandatory two-week vacation in July as part of a worldwide shutdown of its operations for the first time in the automaker's history, a company spokeswoman said Thursday. ( dpa )
The struggling automaker has told employees they will not be working from July 7 to July 21 to "gain some efficiencies" in its production facilities, Mary Beth Heilprin said by telephone from Chrysler headquarters in Auburn Hills, Michigan.
"The idea of a time shutdown is pretty much a standard industry practice," Heilprin said, noting that in the past the company has had partial shutdowns to reconfigure plants.
Heilprin denied the closure resulted from the weak sales that have afflicted the US automotive industry. She said all employees are required to take leave, including top executives.
Chrysler was working to realign employee vacation days to meet the time period shutdown, but some who have already used vacation may not be compensated for the entire closure period, Heilprin said.
"On a case by case basis some of the options may be to work during that time or have it as unpaid time off," she said.