Volkswagen Pays 20,000 Employees Up to €400,000 to Leave Voluntarily German automaker Volkswagen has reached agreements to terminate the employment contracts of 20,000 workers in Germany. The layoffs come with severance packages tied to years of service, some reaching up to €400,000 per employee. Around two-thirds of those leaving the company will be retiring early. In addition, Volkswagen’s factories in Germany have shifted to a four-day workweek due to collapsing sales and declining demand for German-made cars.