Sunday April 11, 2021
Decision on Tuesday?
Heil is planning compulsory corona testing at the workplace
In the fight against the corona virus, Minister of Labor Heil wants to introduce a nationwide test for companies. According to the SPD politician, the federal government should take a decision on Tuesday. So far, the Union has spoken out against compulsory testing.
Federal Labor Minister Hubertus Heil wants to enforce a corona test obligation for companies across Germany in the cabinet this Tuesday – although the Union has so far rejected such an obligation. “Everyone must now do their part in the fight against Corona, including the world of work. In order to protect those who cannot work from home, we need comprehensive tests in the companies,” Heil told “Bild am Sonntag”. “I want us to decide that on Tuesday in the federal government.”
A survey of employees commissioned by the federal government showed that 61 percent currently have an employer who offers corona tests. “40 percent of employees do not receive any test offers from their employers. We must therefore oblige the economy to make test offers to employees simple and unbureaucratic. Because testing protects employees and keeps companies open,” said Heil.
According to information from “Bild am Sonntag”, the plans of the Federal Ministry of Labor provide that all employees who are not in the home office have the right to a corona test per week. Anyone who has a lot of customer contact or who works with food should be entitled to two tests per week. A certification requirement is not provided. So it is enough if the employer makes self-tests available to his employees.
So far, the Union had rejected compulsory testing for companies. According to information from “Bild am Sonntag”, the SPD now wants to enforce such an introduction by tightening the occupational health and safety ordinance in a package with the tightening of the Infection Protection Act. According to the occupational health and safety ordinance, the home office rule, which expires on April 30, is to be extended on Tuesday.
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