Officials with Nissan, which has facilities in Franklin and Smyrna, have announced voluntary separation packages to eligible U.S.-based employees, according to a company official.
Nissan spokeswoman Lloryn Love-Carter told The Tennessee Star Wednesday that company officials are doing this “to adapt to current business needs and improve efficiencies.” The company also is “streamlining its regional sales operations to better support dealers and customers,” Love-Carter said.
The voluntary separation program is for eligible employees in the United States who are 52-years-old and above, Love-Carter said.
“It’s in certain business units, so not every function is eligible,” Love-Carter said.
“They will receive their packet on Friday, by the 31st. From a timing perspective they have what I believe is six weeks to raise their hand. However, everyone who raises their hand isn’t going to get approved. It’s based on the business needs of the company. Some positions are considered business critical.”
When asked, Love-Carter said she would not release information about what benefits employees who participate will receive or what they get monetarily.
“We will have eligible folks at both the headquarters and at our facility in Smyrna, but we don’t know what that will look like,” Love-Carter said.
“It is based on who actually says ‘Yes, I’m interested’ and then, ultimately, who decides to apply and is then approved.”
According to the Nashville-based FOX 17, Nissan officials are trying to resize the company to match lower sales.
“Nissan’s U.S. sales were down almost 10 percent last year, with the Nissan brand down 8.7 percent and its Infiniti luxury brand off 21.1 percent,” the station reported.
Company officials have already made U.S. employees take two unpaid furlough days, according to FOX 17.
“The company has more than 20,000 U.S. workers, concentrated mainly at its U.S. headquarters in Franklin, Tennessee, at factory complexes in Canton, Mississippi, and Smyrna, Tennessee, and a technical center in Farmington Hills, Michigan,” the station reported.
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
Why 52 and over? That screams of Ageism to me-why not open it up to everyone in that Dept where downsizing needs to occur?