Background information

In October 2020, the government of the Czech Republic approved an expenditure of CZK 2 billion for the purchase and testing using antigen tests. Extensive testing began in long-term care hospitals, nursing homes, and other similar facilities, and at the same time, the general public began testing. Antigen tests for citizens are free. The right to perform the test is once every 3 days. PCR tests are also free, but only at the request of the attending physician. The government of the Czech Republic has recommended that testing be carried out by private companies as well, with some form of state participation being considered in the future, which has not yet taken place.

Content of measure

Many companies have begun testing employees with antigen tests at their own expense. One of them is the carmaker Škoda Auto, a.s. , which performs approximately 2,500 PCR and antigen tests per month. Employees do not reimburse the test if the test is performed for the purpose of business travel or to rule out suspicions of COVID-19. Testing is facilitated by corporate medical facilities.

The producer and distributor of electricity, ČEZ, a.s. provides free PCR testing of key operating staff. Hundreds of employees were tested in this way. In addition, the company provides antigen testing as prevention for employees at all its power plants and other operations, including selected subcontractors. For example, all 1,300 employees at the Temelín nuclear power plant should be tested by the end of March.

The mining company OKD, as , introduced regular 14-day PCR testing for all its employees as early as 2020. From August to October, more than 21,000 PCR tests were performed. Extensive and repeated testing in the company was introduced due to the large spread of COVID-19 infection among the company's employees.

The manufacturer of 3D printers Prusa Research, a.s. has been paying a PCR test to each of the employees once a month since the beginning of the pandemic, and at the same time, the employees and their family members are continuously tested with antigenic tests.

Use of measure

Many companies, on the other hand, reject extensive testing, especially due to high financial costs, demanding organization of testing, or due to negative impacts on the smooth operation of operations, especially in the case of quarantine of a larger number of employees. Companies cannot be forced to test, and at the same time companies, themselves do not have a tool to force their own employees to test if they do not agree with testing. In the opinion of experts, the extension of company testing could be helped by a contribution that would at least partially cover the costs associated with testing.

Contents

• Health and safety

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Applies to all workers	Applies to all businesses	Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government Company / Companies	Companies

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	Agreed (outcome) incl. social partner initiative	No involvement
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• No involvement
• Main level of involvement: N/A

Involvement

All company security and protection measures, including employee testing, have been agreed with the company's union.

Views and reactions

Measures have been agreed with the trade union in the company.

Sources

• 16 October 2020: DVA MĚSÍCE PRAVIDELNÉHO TESTOVÁNÍ NA COVID-19 V OKD SE OSVĚDČILO (www.okd.cz)
• 02 November 2020: Firmy se pustily do testování na covid u zaměstnanců. Odběry by mohla platit pojišťovna Zdroj: https://www.lidovky.cz/byznys/firmy-a-trhy/firmy-se-pustily-do-testovani-na-covid-u-zamestnancu-odbery-by-mohla-platit-pojistovna.A201030_141452_firmy-trhy_tesa (www.lidovky.cz)
• 03 November 2020: Firmy se bojí testovat. Vyřadí nám to lidi a je to drahé, říkají (www.seznamzpravy.cz)
• 15 January 2021: Průša k nezastavení. Jeho 3D impérium loni utržilo 2,2 miliardy korun, na covid testuje před firmou (forbes.cz)
• 18 February 2021: Temelín začal zdarma plošně testovat zaměstnance i dodavatele (www.pse.cz)