The Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic has declared mandatory quarantine for persons returning from Italy on and after 7th March. This measure applies to Czech citizens as well as persons with permanent and temporary residence. What impact will this regulation have on employers?
Any person returning from Italy on or after 7th March is obliged to contact their registration physician by telephone or other remote means. The physician is then obliged to order the person to be quarantined for 14 days according to the Act on Protection of Public Health. The quarantine order is automatically a barrier to work on the part of the employee, which prevents them from performing their work, even if they could actually perform the work. Legislation does not recognise the parallel possibility of quarantine and work.
If people who have been quarantined abroad are employed, they should quite promptly report their quarantine to their employer. Quarantine is a barrier to work as it is an illness; they cannot come to the place of their employment and perform their job. They should therefore receive sickness benefits.
The employee is entitled to 60% of the average (reduced) salary for the first 14 days of the quarantine from the employer. However, the employer has the option of increasing the wage compensation provided to the employee up to the full average salary (if he/she finds relevant reasons to do so). Quarantine will be ordered for 14 days. The costs associated with this measure will be borne by the employers. The Czech Social Security Administration pays sickness benefits arising from quarantine from day 15.
Klára Cowan
Head of Payroll Team
ASB Czech Republic
E: kcowan@asbgroup.eu