The resistance of the economy has been of no use: The Federal Cabinet has decided on an obligation for companies to provide a range of corona tests.
The plans provide that companies in Germany offer their employees compulsory corona tests when they are not working from home.
»In principle, companies have to offer their employees a test offer once a week.
Only in exceptional cases may the obligation include two tests per week, ”said the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
The decision is merely an obligation to make an offer; there is no obligation to test for employees.
There should also be no documentation requirement.
For a long time, Federal Minister of Economics Peter Altmaier (CDU) resisted such a decision and relied on the voluntary nature of companies.
Only at last did he give up his resistance.
According to the Federal Ministry of Labor, the changes are expected to come into force in the middle of next week.
“In addition, there is now an obligation for companies to offer tests.
In this way, we can prevent chains of infection, protect health and ultimately avoid company closures, ”said Labor Minister Hubertus Heil (SPD), justifying the new regulation.
"This new obligation has become necessary so that really all employees in the company receive a test offer."
The minister spoke of around 40 percent.
Mandatory home office extended until the end of June
Since the infection process continues to give cause for concern, Heil also announced that it would extend the existing Corona occupational health and safety ordinance, including the obligation to work from home, until June 30, 2021; for on-site activities, requirements for distance, ventilation and wearing a mask also apply.
"Anyone who can work from home must be made possible by their employer," said Heil.
"This is how we reduce the risk of infection while on the move and through colleagues."
For many companies, such an obligation to offer does not change much from the point of view of the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
According to the ministry, around 70 percent of the companies are now offering their employees weekly test options, with additional offers being added.
This was also borne out by the federal government's surveys last week.
In mid-March it was around 35 percent.
The cost of the tests must be borne by the employer.
Calls from the economy to pay for the tests had previously been rejected by Finance Minister Olaf Scholz (SPD).
apr / mad / dpa