Tuesday, April 27, 2021
Stricter single-handed measure
Bremen introduces compulsory testing in companies
Employees in Bremen will have to accept the test offer from their employer in future. The state is tightening the rules in companies independently of the federal emergency brake – to “protect workers”, says Mayor Bovenschulte. However, the companies view the measure critically.
The federal state of Bremen is single-handedly introducing a corona test obligation in companies and administrations at the state level from May 10th. The state senate agreed on a corresponding decision in principle. “A real obligation to test serves to protect employees who cannot work in the home office”, Prime Minister Andreas Bovenschulte justified the decision.
In addition, the measure makes an important contribution to containing the pandemic as a whole. “What makes sense for children and young people must also be possible for adults,” said the SPD politician, referring to the rules for schools.
So far, employers have been obliged by the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance to offer their employees who do not work in the home office a Corona self-test twice a week. While the obligation to test for employees in politics and the German Trade Union Federation (DGB) has been largely positively received, the state’s business associations view the measure as critical, as Radio Bremen reported.
“If we would have liked unbureaucratic solutions”
According to current knowledge, the workplace is a fairly safe place with regard to the risk of infection, said its managing director Cornelius Neumann-Redlin to the broadcaster. “That is why we would have liked voluntary and unbureaucratic solutions for testing, also with regard to the considerable costs for the company,” said the lawyer.
In Bremen, employees will now be obliged to accept this offer. With the decision, the Senate introduces compulsory testing at state level for face-to-face workplaces. The Corona regulation should now be adjusted accordingly. A transition period is also planned. Bremen had already advocated a real compulsory test in companies last week in the Federal Council, but did not get a majority for his application.
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