On the covid front, the rules are changing. In a “favorable epidemic context”, the General Directorate of Health has announced several changes that will come into force this Wednesday, February 1, 2023. Changes that will have consequences at work.
• I’m positive
Systematic isolation is over. Until now, in theory, a person (and therefore an employee) who tested positive had to isolate himself as soon as possible for 7 days (10 days if he is not vaccinated) before being tested.
Little applied, these isolations “will no longer be necessary”, the decree published this Saturday, January 28 in the Official Gazette adds, however, that isolation continues to be “strongly recommended” for positive cases.
Therefore, you are now allowed to go to work being positive, with the minimum measure to protect colleagues being to wear a mask and apply barrier gestures.
Testing after two days is no longer mandatory for contact cases.
• I am HIV positive and sick
Until now, the presence of symptoms made it possible to automatically obtain unemployment without a day of waiting (3 days in the private sector).
The employees in question then received their daily allowances (paid by Social Security) from their first day of interruption. A measure that has been extended several times since the start of the crisis.
Today, the General Directorate of Health (DGS) indicates to “put an end” to “the derogatory delivery to the insured who find it impossible to continue working, even remotely.”
• I am a vulnerable person in partial activity
In the face of the epidemic, the government has implemented a partial activity regime for employees vulnerable to the virus. That is to say, in particular, immunocompromised, cardiac or obese people, especially exposed to the virus in their workplace and for whom teleworking is not or is almost impossible.
This device, which therefore allows these employees to be partially paid by the State (84% of the net hourly wage within the limit of 4.5 times the minimum hourly wage) even though they cannot work, had to cease on January 31, extended for one month (until February 28).
This device under the eligibility criteria would affect 400 people. For some patient associations, a return to the office in March for these people “is not acceptable.”
“On the one hand, it puts immunocompromised employees in an impossible situation in the face of the strong threats they still face, leaving them no choice but to expose themselves in transport and in their workplace,” says the Renaloo association, which groups together patients kidneys. .
“Cette mesure est d’ailleurs concomitante avec la fin des arrêts maladies dérogatoires pour les personnes atteintes du Covid, qui va constituir un fort incitatif à continuar à travailler même contaminé, et donc exposer les travailleurs immunodéprimés à des risques supplémentaires” regrette-t- she.
• I have to go abroad for work
If you have made a business trip abroad, you no longer have to carry out any formalities before your arrival in France, both in mainland France and abroad. The presentation of the health pass may no longer be required, regardless of the country or area of origin.
On the other hand, from January 5 to February 15, 2023, various rules apply to people traveling from China to France (in mainland France and abroad) by plane.
• Other business rules
The company’s health protocol has not been in force since March 14, 2022. It has been replaced by a reference guide on measures to prevent the risks of contamination by Covid-19 outside of an epidemic situation.
Normal business rules apply, including lifting distancing measures and ending mandatory mask wearing. However, workers who wish to do so may continue to wear a mask, without the employer being able to oppose it.
Teleworking is no longer mandatory.
“From now on, the rules are defined between employers and employees within the framework of social dialogue. It is up to them to define together the conditions for the development of their activity”, can be read on the government website.
Source: BFM TV
