Chrysler's financial pains are being now being felt by its white collared workers after DaimlerChrysler announced a tightening up on overtime rules.

More than 10,000 salaried workers will no longer be paid extra for working more than 40 hours a week until they've logged at least four, and in some cases 10, hours of overtime.

If they're on the job longer than that and want to be paid for those hours, most salaried employees will need the approval of a vice president.

The move – spelled out in a leaked memo – says the changes are due to Chrysler's "increasingly difficult situation."

The company last week announced it could lose $1.1bn in the second quarter.