The coronavirus pandemic has been affecting various industries since two years ago. The automotive industry is one of those, and companies have been trying hard to compensate their workers who continue to soldier on despite the risks.
One of those companies is Volkswagen AG. The automaker has announced that its employees working at its German locations will be given another round of "coronavirus premium" in recognition of their hard work in recent months.
The bonus amounts to 500 euros or around $568 with the current exchange rates, a retrospective payment for the period from July 2021 to February 2022.
The payout will happen at the end of February 2022 with the employees' monthly salary. It will be paid gross for net, which means it won't be taxed and the employees will receive the full amount.
"In recent months, the pandemic greatly tested our employees – whether they were working at our locations or remotely. The flexibility and tireless dedication they have shown is a remarkable performance that we would like to recognize. That is the reason for the new coronavirus premium," Chief Human Resources Officer Gunnar Kilian said in a statement.
Apprentices, dual students, and doctoral students will also receive a bonus in recognition of the additional strain caused by the pandemic. They will receive up to 300 euros ($341).
Volkswagen's first round of coronavirus bonuses was paid out in June 2021 for the period from March 2020 to June 2021. That money amounted to 1,000 euros ($1,136).
The German government’s coronavirus economic aid package made these bonuses possible. The package allows employers to pay their employees up to 1,500 euros ($1,705) in premium, free from tax and social security contributions.
This isn't the first time we've heard of a coronavirus premium from automakers. In December 2020, Daimler rolled out a $1,200 "corona bonus" to its employees for similar reasons.
