Land Rover Employees Offered Sabbatical

Leave of up to 3 months is being offered to Birmingham based LandRover workers at 80% pay, plus they can apply for other jobs whilst on leave from manufacturing vehicles such as the Freelander. This announcement must be a blow to workers, having recently been awarded a 5.5% pay rise.

This sabbatical offer is previously unheard of in the industry and is the latest in a series of moves by Jaguar Land Rover to avoid a stockpiling of vehicles. Land Rover spokesman Mark Foster said: “We see this an an innovative response to current market conditions. Under previous lay-offs, people would have had 24 hours’ notice to return to work.”

“The programme provides an opportunity for hourly-paid employees to volunteer for leave of absence for a minimum of four weeks. “During the period of the sabbatical, they will not be required to attend work and will also be able, should they wish, to take up alternative employment. All participants will be retained by Jaguar LandRover on the basis of 80 per cent of basic pay.”

The offer is only available to employees at Browns Lane, Coventry, Solihull and Castle Bromwich in Birmingham.