JLR seeks voluntary redundancies from furloughed workers

JAGUAR Land Rover is offering voluntary redundancy to some staff who have been furloughed during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Midland car maker has described it as “a very small targeted voluntary redundancy programme” aimed at some salaried and management staff who are currently furloughed.

The company said the move was “a prudent step” taken in response to the challenges facing the automotive industry around the world.

One Jaguar Land Rover employee, who did not wish to be named, told the Post: “I am a salaried employee of Jaguar Land Rover and, along with other Jaguar Land Rover employees still furloughed, have been contacted initially by phone and then email to be told that voluntary redundancy is now being offered.”

Another said: “I am not actually impacted but a lot of my colleagues are and a lot of departments.

“They got rid of agency staff but these are permanent employees and a lot of them have been with the company for a long time.

“I know a lot of people who are very upset by it.”

Initially Jaguar Land Rover furloughed around half its UK workforce after the country went into lockdown in March.

Pre-lockdown the carmaker had warned of the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, having seen it affect the operation of its joint venture in China. That was before the virus had even arrived in the UK.

Jaguar Land Rover’s UK operations have yet to fully return to the situation pre-lockdown and some of the company’s staff have remained on furlough.

In May, 2,000 employees rejoined the shift pattern at Jaguar Land Rover’s plant in Solihull, with strict protocols in place to combat Covid-19.

Their return was followed by another 650 employees resuming duties in July.

The first Land Rover model made under new social distancing measures rolled off the production line at the carmaker’s factory in Solihull late in May.

Effective social distancing, hygiene and health monitoring measures were put in place at the Lode Lane plant following an extensive review of all production lines, engineering facilities, office areas and communal spaces.

It was part of a phased return to manufacturing for the company. Speaking about the company’s offer of voluntary redundancy to some furloughed staff a spokesman said: “As the UK Government’s furlough scheme comes to an end, Jaguar Land Rover is implementing a very small targeted voluntary redundancy programme for some management and salaried employees currently on furlough.

“This is a prudent step given the challenges facing the global automotive industry in which we compete, giving these employees the choice to consider new opportunities outside of the company having been out of the business for more than seven months.”