pandemic
Government wants to relax corona measures in companies
On March 19, the corona protection regulations for companies will also change. Photo: Kurt Desplenter/BELGA/dpa/Symbolbild
© dpa-infocom GmbH
The corona numbers are going up – but the prescribed protection is to be reduced. In the future, employers should also be able to decide on protective regulations in companies themselves.
Despite the increasing number of infections, looser corona rules should apply in Germany’s companies in a week from the beginning of spring.
The draft regulation of the Federal Ministry of Labor provides that employers themselves should assess the risk of the virus and define appropriate measures in a company hygiene concept. The draft is available from the German Press Agency, other media had also previously reported on it.
Employers should check protection themselves
Employers should also take regional infection rates into account. According to the draft, they should then check whether they offer employees a corona test per week, whether they provide protective masks and whether employees should work from home. In the future, companies should also decide for themselves on protective measures such as distance and hygiene rules or the obligation to wear a mask.
Up to and including March 19, employers are still obliged to offer tests in their companies at least twice a week. Where other measures do not provide sufficient protection, there is currently also a mask requirement. In addition to these rules, company 3G regulations apply, according to which employees must carry proof of vaccinations, convalescence or test certificates. Working from home is mandatory if the type of work allows it.
Infection numbers are rising once more
It is planned that the new regulation will be passed in the cabinet on Wednesday. A controversial draft law by Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach (SPD) and Minister of Justice Marco Buschmann (FDP) is also to be discussed for the first time in the Bundestag on Wednesday, which provides for the elimination of most nationwide corona protection requirements. The number of infections has been increasing for days, on Saturday the 7-day incidence was 1496 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants; there were 237,086 newly registered corona infections and 249 corona-related deaths.
Federal Minister of Labor Hubertus Heil (SPD) said: “We must continue to work together to ensure that the workplace does not become a place of infection.” For this reason, basic protective measures should also be retained here.
