Volkswagen has set a November-end deadline for its whistleblower programme designed to encourage workers to disclose information about the carmaker’s two emissions scandals in a move to speed up investigations.

The carmaker has been making slow progress in finding out who had knowledge of the rigging of diesel emissions tests two months after the manipulations became public in the US, and last week also admitted to cheating on carbon dioxide emissions certifications.

Under the whistleblower programme, approved by VW’s top management, workers who get in touch with internal investigators no later than November 30 will be exempt from dismissals and damage claims, according to a letter from VW brand chief Herbert Diess to staff.

“We are counting on your cooperation and knowledge as our company’s employees to get to the bottom of the diesel and CO2 issue,” Diess was quoted as saying in the document.

“In this process, every single day counts.” VW has said it hired advisory firm Deloitte and US law firm Jones Day to investigate under what circumstances the company installed software into diesel cars that changed engine settings to reduce emissions whenever the vehicle was put through tests.

The carmaker is eager to show federal prosecutors in Detroit and Washington that it is fully cooperating with the criminal investigation into the company’s admitted use of “defeat devices” in 482,000 US diesel vehicles.

US Attorney Preet Bharara in New York in September cited General Motors Co’s cooperation as a factor in the government’s decision to impose a $900-million fine for the delayed ignition switch recall linked to 124 deaths and 275 injuries.

A source at VW said the executive and supervisory boards initially sought to have the whistleblower programme run through the end of the year but, encouraged by recent positive feedback, decided to set the more ambitious end-November deadline.

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