Ensuring the health and safety of employees at work
By decree of March 19, 2021 ( decree no. 2021-296 ), the public authorities ordered new health measures to deal with the Covid-19 epidemic in several departments, including Ile-de-France, which result in particular in a ban on leaving one's home between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m., except in the cases of derogation provided for.
This decree thus provides for additional travel restriction measures.
In this context, the Ministry of Labor updated on March 23 the national health protocol prescribing a certain number of measures for companies to deal with the said epidemic and ensure the health and safety of employees at work.
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Telework
The preferred measure by public authorities to limit social interactions remains teleworking.
The public authorities intend to strengthen the implementation within companies for all “teleworkable” tasks. »
Companies located in territories subject to additional travel restrictions are thus required to adopt an action plan “for the next few weeks” in order to reduce the physical presence of employees in the company, taking into account the activities teleworkable. Said action plan must be discussed internally within the framework of local social dialogue.
The actions implemented must be presented to the labor inspectorate in the event of an inspection.
It should be remembered that telework has been increased to 100% for employees who can perform all their tasks remotely. A physical return to the company one day a week is however possible for employees in 100% telework, when they express the need and the employer does not object.
When 100% telework cannot be implemented, the employer must then provide for measures to limit social interactions, in particular by smoothing the arrival and departure times of its staff in order to limit crowds at peak times. .
It must also ensure that it is compulsory to wear a category 1 or surgical mask in closed collective places, employees working in an individual office may be exempted from it.
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Screening strategy to ensure the health and safety of employees at work
The national health protocol then provides for new measures concerning the screening strategy.
People who show symptoms of Covid-19 are now required to isolate themselves at home “as soon as symptoms appear” and to carry out a screening test as soon as possible.
In the situation where they would not be in a condition to be able to telework, they have the possibility of declaring themselves on sick leave and receiving Daily Social Security Allowances (IJSS) as soon as the symptoms are declared, and this, without waiting period, but on the condition of carrying out a PCR test within 48 hours.
Persons in contact with a person infected with Covid-19 are invited to isolate themselves in order to ensure the health and safety of employees at work.
It is specified that those who have been contacted by the health insurance services within the framework of "contact tracing" will have the possibility of requesting a sick leave without a waiting period, but always on the condition of carrying out a PCR within 48 hours.
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Collective catering
The new version of the sheet dedicated to the organization and operation of company restaurants encourages the establishment of packed lunches to take away and eat at the workstation for all or some of the employees.
Whether lunch takes place in the company restaurant or at the workstation, it is recommended that employees eat lunch alone, leaving an empty place in front of them and respecting a distance rule of two meters between each guest. , i.e. 8 m² around each employee.
Along with drinking fountains, bulk food offerings should also be removed.
In the presence of company restaurants, the spaces must be reorganized, the trays must be prepared by the catering staff and the services must be staggered to reduce the number of employees present in the company restaurant.
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Details of transport by vehicle
The employer is now asked to limit “ as much as possible the organization of the transport of several employees in the same vehicle within the framework of the professional activity ”.
If this mode of transport is necessary, employees must each wear a mask, respect the rules of hand hygiene and the vehicle must be cleaned / disinfected and ventilated regularly.
