VW Offers Amnesty To Employees Who Reveal Information About Emissions Scandal

In an effort to finally emerge from its emissions scandal, VW is offering amnesty to employees that reveal information to assist investigations into the company’s manipulation of regulatory tests. If employees come forward by November 30, they are being assured that they will not be fired and will not face any damage claims from the automaker.

“In this process, every single day counts,” Herbert Diess, head of the VW brand, said in a letter posted on Volkswagen’s corporate intranet and obtained by Bloomberg. “We are counting on your cooperation and knowledge as our company’s employees get to the bottom of the diesel and CO2 issue.”

Volkswagen employees helped the company uncover inconsistencies in carbon dioxide emissions in 800,000 cars last week, adding to the 11 million vehicles with diesel engines that have been rigged to trick regulatory tests. The latest admission created new uncertainty about the extent of cheating at VW, with the company having provided few details to date.

CEO Matthias Mueller was appointed in the wake of the scandal. When taking his post in September, Mueller stated his most urgent task is to win back trust “by leaving no stone unturned.” Last week, he said that the company “will stop at nothing and nobody” to uncover the full truth.

Volkswagen launched an internal investigation September 22, five days after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) notified the company that it was under investigation on suspicion of violating U.S. environmental laws. VW also faces criminal investigations in the United States and Europe.

The amnesty for whistleblowers is valid for staff that are covered by the manufacturer’s collective bargaining agreements. However, the company explained that criminal proceedings cannot be ruled out, depending on what is discovered, and that there is the potential for employees to be transferred or given other responsibilities as a result of the ongoing investigation.

VW is facing fines, expensive recalls and lost sales after U.S. authorities found that it had equipped diesel cars with software that turned off emissions controls and increased performance when the vehicle was not being tested. Under normal driving conditions, the vehicles far exceeded regulatory limits for nitrogen oxide, a pollutant that can cause health problems. The company has also said that there were “irregularities” in its measurement of emissions of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that is believed to contribute to global warming.

The Wolfsburg, Germany-based company has hired an outside executive to oversee its legal compliance in the wake of the emissions scandal, and is also working with U.S. law firm Jones Day in its investigation.