Coronavirus: Automaker FCA asks 50 per cent of staff in Mumbai, Pune to work from home

Automaker FCA India on Tuesday said it has permitted over 50 per cent of its staff in Mumbai and Pune to work from home at least until March 31, 2020 in the wake of coronavirus pandemic.

FCA, which operates from three locations in India – Mumbai, Pune and Chennai, has prioritised the option of work from home (WFH) for its staff in Maharashtra on precautionary advisories by the central government and also the state governments, the company said in a statement.

The work from home alternative for the engineering workforce in Chennai is under consideration and not in play as yet, it added.

"Although no employee of FCA India has reported or tested positive, we are fully aware of the gravity of the situation and are taking quick, proactive steps every day that are necessary for everybody's well-being," FCA India's President and Managing Director Partha Datta said.

FCA, which sells various models including the Jeep Compass SUV in the country, has a total employee base of 1,500 across its offices in Mumbai, Chennai and Pune.