Autoindustrie: Abfindungsprogramm geschlossen: Tausende wollen BMW verlassen – nicht jeder darf

BMW has ended its severance program less than two weeks after launching it. Since October 8th, thousands of employees have expressed their willingness to leave the company. This has allowed the group to reach its goal, though no exact number was disclosed. The company aimed to finalize the program by mid-next month. This means interested employees would know if they could sign a termination agreement by then, rather than leaving immediately.

The dual voluntariness principle applies: the employee must want to leave and the employer must agree. Tens of thousands of BMW employees received offers, but only a few could initially accept them due to a technical issue that broke the portal shortly after launch. However, the problem was resolved the next day. The high demand for termination agreements suggests generous conditions from BMW.

Industry insiders reported that severances could exceed 650,000 euros in some cases. A sample termination agreement, seen by the Handelsblatt, offers attractive conditions such as car transfers, including a possible switch to another BMW premium brand. Older employees receive additional privileges typically reserved for "BMW retirees."

Many offered severances fall in the six-figure range. The conditions are not transparent, calculated on an individual basis following uniform principles. BMW offered incentives for employees to leave early, with two cut-off dates in the coming year: March 31st and October 31st. Those who choose to leave earlier receive an additional bonus.

BMW's severance programs have previously included "turbo bonuses," with the group's 650,000 euro figure higher than those of Mercedes and Volkswagen. An internal deadline for the severance program is end October 2027. By then, the respective employment relationship should be terminated. Although the program ended early, not all employees will leave immediately.

Some may continue working at BMW into next year before departing. Cost pressures in Munich drive the company's goal to save 8000 jobs by the end of next year, totaling a billion euros in savings. BMW aims to reduce the number of top executives by 20 percent. The severance program targets indirect sectors, including development and administration, with a plan to trim the executive level.

The CEO announced the program in July during a Munich staff meeting, following negotiations between management and the union in just a few weeks. CEO Milan Nedeljkovic issued a profit warning in mid-June, citing weakness in China that has pressured the company's results for years.