BENTON HARBOR, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — A major Southwest Michigan employer is asking workers to take unpaid time off to help it address challenges caused by COVID-19.
Whirlpool Corp. announced on Friday that salary employees will have to schedule a two-week furlough between April 13th and the end of May.
At the beginning of the outbreak in the U.S., company officials implemented department-wide travel restrictions and in January began to offer remote working options.
The Herald Palladium reports that Whirlpool will continue to match employee 401(k) plans, though using transferred company stock instead of direct payments.
The Benton Harbor-based appliance manufacturer closed two plants in Iowa and Ohio where workers tested positive for the respiratory illness in March. Both facilities were deep cleaned after management were notified of sick employees.
“With ongoing developments related to COVID-19, Whirlpool Corp. is focused on protecting the health and safety of all employees while continuing to serve the consumers who are depending on our products during this challenging time,” Whirlpool said in a released statement.
Best known for its dishwashers and consumer appliances, the company employs roughly 4,000 workers in Southwest Michigan.
A majority of the company’s Michigan manufacturing and engineering facilities are located in Berrien County, where the county health department last reported 60 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and one death from the illness.
