From autumn, companies should not be obliged to offer their employees home office and corona tests again. According to the Ministry of Labour, the federal cabinet in Meseberg, Brandenburg, passed a new Corona Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance on Wednesday. According to this, employers should only “check” a home office offer for employees and a regular offer of tests as part of a hygiene concept. The new regulation is to apply from October 1 to April 7, 2023.
An earlier draft of the ordinance from the home of Labor Minister Hubertus Heil (SPD) still said: “The employer must offer employees the opportunity to carry out suitable activities in their home if there are no compelling operational reasons to the contrary.” In addition, there was an obligation to offer two tests per week.
Obligations for companies to offer tests and home office expired in March. At that time, responsibility for corona measures was largely placed in the hands of employers. At the end of May, when the Corona Occupational Health and Safety Ordinance expired, the remaining requirements for companies also expired. Now the ordinance is to be reactivated. Reason: For autumn and winter it is to be expected that the number of infections will increase significantly again. Therefore, protective measures would have to be taken again in working life.
