We have prepared a summary of the changes and extraordinary measures of the Ministry of Health which have an impact on employers and were decided on 19 November.
Regular testing of employees - to be arranged by no later than 29 November 2021
- Mandatory employee testing is being introduced again, with the permitted use of self-tests.
- The frequency must be at least once a week.
- This also applies to the self-employed.
In general, mandatory testing does apply to:
- those who are 14 days from the completion of vaccination (with no maximum time limit).
- those who, on the basis of a positive test, have undergone laboratory-confirmed Covid-19, for 180 days after the first positive test.
- those who have undergone a PCR test or RAT performed by a healthcare professional in the last 7 days with a negative result (i.e. if an employee arranges for his/her own test outside work, at an official test site).
- those who during the performance of their work is not in contact with others.
Bills are to be submitted by the government to the Chamber of Deputies with a request for discussion under the legislative emergency powers, in order to ensure that sufficient financial security for parents is arranged as soon as possible; it is not expected that they will not be approved by the Chamber of Deputies
Reintroduction of the crisis care allowance
- calculated retroactively with effect from 01.11.2021 to 28.02.2022.
- Parents who stay at home with their children will be entitled to the care allowance for the entire period of school or class closure or during the individual quarantining of a child. The care allowance will also apply for a child who is unable to attend school due to quarantine in the family.
- The care allowance will be increased to 80% of the daily assessment base. In total, parents will receive at least 400 crowns per day, and also applies to the so-called work agreement contractors, who deduct social and health insurance from their income.
Extraordinary contribution for an employee during imposed quarantine
- The so-called isolation will enable employees who have become entitled to income compensation due to quarantine to receive a contribution of 370 crowns per calendar day. However, if the sum of the contribution and the income compensation exceeds 90% of the employee's average earnings, the contribution will be reduced accordingly.
- Drawdown of this will take place only for the first 14 days of the quarantine period. The contribution will be paid by the employer.
- Employers will be able to deduct the amount paid out from their social security contributions and their contribution to the state employment policy. At present, the contribution is expected to be paid until 30 June 2022 at the latest.
