Yaks to go on 2-week vacation in July

[Iowa_Card]

http://money.cnn.com/2008/03/13/news/companies/Chrysler_shutdown.ap/index.htm?cnn=yes

DETROIT (AP) -- Chrysler LLC is telling employees worldwide to take a mandatory two-week vacation in July. Chrysler informed employees of the plan in an e-mail sent to employees that was obtained by The Associated Press. Chrysler spokeswoman Mary Beth Heilprin confirms the e-mail was sent.

Chrysler plans a corporate-wide shutdown the weeks of July 7 and July 14. Heilprin says some employees may be asked to stay on to work on special projects.

It's common for automakers to shut down plants in July, but this would also affect salaried workers. Chrysler says the shutdown should help it boost productivity and efficiency.

Heilprin didn't have any details about why the decision was made.

[davhaf]

Maybe they will build a good one during that time.....

[Ty Shula]

nothing like boosting productivity by shuttin' down!

[Greenmachine]

I just read that as well. It seems that Ford is the only one left of the "BIG 3" that does not mandidate vacation in July. I hated that when I worked at GM, but it was nice to have 2 weeks off.

[Reggie Cleveland]

Maybe he should spend it continuing the search for WMD.

Rightly or wrongly.

[madyaks]

We shut down every summer for "model change" sometimes just one week sometimes longer depending on what's being changed.

We knew a while ago about these two weeks, the bosses were all told that they HAD to take off those weeks and not come in. That is very odd, usually they make them come in and do small projects and BS.

Rumors are just running rampant.

[Guppy]

There was a job that I had where I HAD to take the last two weeks of the year off. But the place needed me there as that was the busiest time for me since so many people were placing their orders and I was the one receiving all of the equipment. So I had to be there, I just could not report my hours. So when I could report my hours, I counted that 80 weeks as OT.

[madyaks]

damn 80 weeks of OT, sweet.

[Iowa_Card]

We shut down every summer for "model change" sometimes just one week sometimes longer depending on what's being changed.

We knew a while ago about these two weeks, the bosses were all told that they HAD to take off those weeks and not come in. That is very odd, usually they make them come in and do small projects and BS.

Rumors are just running rampant.

It's not very odd.

Forcing salaried employees to take vacation removes that much more liability off the company's books. Vacation is, by law, guaranteed and the company must account for that in their Operating Costs. This is a way to reduce operating costs and liability on the company.

But it does point to a potential change in the vacation structure if most of the salaried employees have more vacation stored than the "soon-to-be imposed" vacation plan will allow.

[Guppy]

It's not very odd.

Forcing salaried employees to take vacation removes that much more liability off the company's books. Vacation is, by law, guaranteed and the company must account for that in their Operating Costs. This is a way to reduce operating costs and liability on the company.

But it does point to a potential change in the vacation structure if most of the salaried employees have more vacation stored than the "soon-to-be imposed" vacation plan will allow.

What about long term contractors? During my time as one, I have never had any vacation time. It was just days off that were not paid. No holidays either.

[Iowa_Card]

What about long term contractors? During my time as one, I have never had any vacation time. It was just days off that were not paid. No holidays either.

As a contractor, you are not entitled to vacation (or health benefits) unless they are provided to you by your contracting house.

The contractors here, who are doing the same thing as salaried people, don't get the same benefits. They are supplemented by a higher paycheck than a direct-charge employee.

[Guppy]

As a contractor, you are not entitled to vacation (or health benefits) unless they are provided to you by your contracting house.

The contractors here, who are doing the same thing as salaried people, don't get the same benefits. They are supplemented by a higher paycheck than a direct-charge employee.

That makes sense. Thanks for the info. I have worked at several different places and they are all different. The last one I worked for was a complete shithole company but the one I am at now does offer benefits, major holidays, and after a year I will get vacation.

[Sheriff Blaylock]

It's not very odd.

Forcing salaried employees to take vacation removes that much more liability off the company's books. Vacation is, by law, guaranteed and the company must account for that in their Operating Costs. This is a way to reduce operating costs and liability on the company.

But it does point to a potential change in the vacation structure if most of the salaried employees have more vacation stored than the "soon-to-be imposed" vacation plan will allow.

Not only that but it is a great way to catch fraud. If your company has some real go-getter that refuses to take vacation it is a red flag. Maybe they have some scheme going that requires them to always be there to keep it going.

[Iowa_Card]

Not only that but it is a great way to catch fraud. If your company has some real go-getter that refuses to take vacation it is a red flag. Maybe they have some scheme going that requires them to always be there to keep it going.

Shit. I should probably watch out then, huh?

Although when the daughter arrives in mid-May I'll probably take 4 weeks off. Right in the middle of crunch time, fortunately (for me).

My goal was to have at least 1.5 weeks of vacation roll over to the next fiscal year. The company changed the vacation banking policy a few years ago to where we can only carry over 1 year's allotment of vacation. I get 3 weeks a year right now so I can't carry over more than 3. We have to use it, Sell it back to the company for 50 cents on the dollar, or lose it.

Not many people lose it.

[Nsane2Bme]

It's not uncommon for car plants to shut down for a a few weeks in the summer. We roll in, change out robots and move on. It's the same thing we do during the other holidays including Christmas time.

However for it to be announced like this, does seem a little odd.

That being said...talk of what is going to change out in Fenton has been looming in our office. Last summer darn near everyone in the company worked out at Chrysler.

No Yaks, I don't know details...I'm in Healthcare now - so I just hear rumblings about the car plant stuff.