Nissan is furloughing thousands of hourly employees at its U.S. plants as the auto industry continues to take a beating from the coronavirus pandemic.
The company said the temporary layoffs affect about 10,000 workers at plants in Tennessee and Mississippi. A spokesperson told CNN employees have been asked to apply for unemployment benefits through at least April 27 — the date Nissan is hoping to get production up and running again.
Nissan isn't alone. Honda is also furloughing more than 14,000 factory workers in the U.S. Its production is currently shut down until May 1.
Automakers across the country — including Ford, General Motors and Fiat Chrysler — slammed the brakes on production, in part to help stop the spread of COVID-19. U.S. car sales have also plummeted in recent weeks as many consumers prioritize other purchases and avoid the roads as much as possible.
