Update of the Company Health And Safety Protocol – Telework and Close Contacts

We would like to inform you that the company health and safety protocol was updated by the Ministry of Labour on January 21 and 25, 2022, to take into account the evolution of the health situation.

The new measures include:

1)         Transition from Mandatory to Recommended Telework from February 2, 2022

Currently, employers must set a minimum number of 3 days of telework per week until February 1, for the jobs that allow it. When the organization of work and the situation of the employees allow it, this number can be increased to 4 days per week.

As of February 2, 2022, the use of telework is recommended: employers need to determine, within the framework of local social dialogue, the modalities for using telework. 

We would also like to inform you that the General Labour Directorate has indicated in an instruction of January 19, 2022 addressed to the “Directions régionales de l’économie, de l’emploi, du travail et des solidarités and the Labour Inspectorate” that the agents will have to pay particular attention to the implementation of telework and to the rules of sanitary safety during collective catering. During inspections, labour inspectors will have to check that the Social and Economic Council (“CSE”) has been informed and consulted about the implementation of telework and that employers have carried out an assessment of the risks of exposure to Covid-19.

This is also in line with the law no. 2022-46 of January 22, 2022 reinforcing the tools for managing the health crisis, applicable since January 24, 2022, which created a fine of 500 euros per employee, capped at 50 000 euros, for employers who do not respect the principles of prevention that lead to a risk of exposure to Covid-19. This penalty concerns in particular the failure to comply with the obligation to telework, the failure to wear a mask or the defective arrangement of workspace.

For more information, we invite you to refer to  the Q&A on telework that was updated on January 24, 2022.

2)         Management of Close Contacts

The company health and safety protocol has also updated the management of close contacts and now states that:

• Close contacts with a complete vaccination schedule or who contracted Covid-19 less than 6 months ago do not need to isolate themselves. As a reminder, as of February 15, 2022, the validity period of the vaccination certificate without a booster dose is reduced to 4 months instead of 7 months;

• Close contacts with a complete vaccination schedule and suffering from severe immunodepression must isolate themselves, strictly apply barrier measures and opt for teleworking;

• Close contacts who are unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or who did not contract Covid-19 within the last 2 months or are severely immunocompromised should isolate themselves for up to 7 days after their last contact with a Covid-19 positive person.