Renault put majority of its white collar staff in the Ile-de-France region around Paris on partial unemployment on Monday because the lockdown imposed following the spread of the coronavirus outbreak has reduced activity.
The company will use the scheme which the government has set up to battle the economic crisis caused by the virus.
Under the scheme, Paris has vowed to compensate companies so that workers put on partial unemployment can still get much of their salary.
“Following a two-week stoppage of industrial and commercial activity, it is necessary to adapt the working hours of employees”, a Renault spokeswoman informed Reuters.
From Monday and until next notice, Renault’s white collar staff will work from home in the morning and will be placed on partial unemployment in the afternoon.
Only a few people will preserve their full-time jobs involving activities such as security, maintenance and communication.
The partial unemployment measure in the region of Paris will be impacting about 1,500 to 2,000 people, a union source said.
In Renault production plants located in France, workers will remain on furlough.
Coronavirus has so far infected over 801,061 people and killed 38,749 worldwide. About 44,550 people in France have been confirmed as being infected with the coronavirus. The virus has killed 3,024 people in the country.
