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Corona rapid test: Government initiates compulsory testing for companies
Photo: Daniel Reinhardt / dpa
Despite protests from business associations, the federal government wants to introduce compulsory testing in companies.
According to a survey by the Institute for Employment Research (IAB), around a third of companies have tests ready for their employees.
30 percent of the companies were aiming for this, especially in the next four weeks, announced the IAB.
From the end of March to the beginning of April, it surveyed almost 2,000 companies.
Large companies in particular are already active.
According to this, 60 percent of the companies with at least 250 employees offer their employees corona tests, and a further third of the large companies are planning to do so.
As the size of the company decreases, the proportion of companies that give their staff a test opportunity or is planning to do so decreases.
"But even in the smallest companies with fewer than ten employees, more than half still offer corona tests or plan to do so," said the research institute of the Federal Employment Agency (BA).
There are also clear differences in the sectors.
Corona tests are most widespread in education, health and social services, where 58 percent of companies already offer corona tests and a further 22 percent are planning to do so.
In the area of transport and storage, the test offer is significantly lower at 17 percent, but another 28 percent are planning to offer tests.
Around 83 percent of the companies with a test offer contact all employees.
According to the IAB, only a minority limits the offer to personnel who work on site or in certain departments.
52 percent of the companies state that they offer the tests several times a week, 40 percent at least once a week.
At every third company, the tests are even mandatory for at least some of the employees.
The federal government wants to oblige companies to offer tests for employees.
Finance Minister Olaf Scholz (SPD) announced that the companies would have to pay for the costs themselves.
Federal Labor Minister Hubertus Heil said that there was no compulsory test for employees for reasons of health and safety at work.
"But I expect everyone to take responsibility now." The choice of test form is also not required: "All rapid antigen tests are part of it."
Business associations criticize the obligation to test.
They argue, among other things, that companies would offer the tests voluntarily anyway.
mmq / Reuters