Volkswagen plans to cut about 3,000 office jobs in Germany by the end of 2017 as the carmaker strives to offset the cost of its emissions test-rigging scandal, two sources at the company said on March 10. Europe's largest automaker is cutting investment by 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) in 2016 compared with last year and aims to shed hundreds of temporary jobs and cease unprofitable models in a bid to reduce costs in the wake of the scandal.
VW employs about 120,000 workers at its Western German plants and its financial services division, with about a third of those being office positions.
The sources did not give more specific information about the job losses. German news agency dpa first reported the cuts.
"The Volkswagen brand has initiated an efficiency programme that is affecting all areas, including personnel costs," a VW spokesman said.
Costs can be cut by reducing temporary work contracts, filling vacancies internally and making fewer hirings, the spokesman added, declining to be more specific.