Chrysler sets mandatory vacation dates for 2009

Chrysler will require all of its employees to take the same two-week summer vacation again next year. In an e-mail, the company announced the mandatory 2009 summer break will be during the weeks of July 13 and 20.

In the e-mail, Nancy Rae, executive v-p for human resources, said, “With this early notification, the intent is for the majority of employees to take this time off to improve on the efficiencies achieved in 2008.”

North American factories traditionally shut down for a week or two during model break, when assembly lines are switched over to production of the new model year’s vehicles, but 2008 was the first time that Chrysler required all employees, including salaried, to take their vacations during a specified time. 

Chrysler spokeswoman Shawn Morgan said the mandatory vacations saved the company a little money, but said the primary benefit was improved efficiency. With all employees taking their summer breaks at the same time, projects did not get out of step because one team got ahead while the other was on leave.

Morgan said Chrysler has not yet decided if it will extend the mandatory vacation program beyond next year.