Eurofound's EU PolicyWatch collates information on the responses of government and social partners to the COVID-19 crisis, the war in Ukraine, rising inflation, as well as gathering examples of company practices aimed at mitigating the social and economic impacts.
Factsheet for measure GR-2021-11/1829 – Updated – measures in Greece
Country | Greece , applies nationwide |
Time period | Open ended, started on 11 March 2021 |
Context | COVID-19 |
Type | Legislations or other statutory regulations |
Category |
Protection of workers, adaptation of workplace
– Occupational health and safety |
Author | Penny Georgiadou (INEGSEE) |
Measure added | 08 April 2021 (updated 13 May 2021) |
The Greek government, as part of the restriction of the dispersion of the coronavirus, covers the cost of conducting rapid tests on companies with more than 20 employees. The programme is implemented by the Ministries of Labour and Digital Governance, in cooperation with the National Public Health Organisation (EODY). Employees in companies with over 20 employees will be able to apply for a rapid test up to 2 times a month through a special platform. The aim is to intensify testing in enterprises where the number of employees causes staff crowding and thus increases the risk of transmission. The measure follows on from other initiatives to limit the dispersion of coronavirus, such as compulsory teleworking (where it can be provided), special-purpose leaves and the intensification of inspections on companies to comply with health protocols by the Labour Inspectorate (SEPE).
According to the Ministry of Labour, from 11 March 2021, the planned procedure for participation in the testing programme is as follows:
Employees complete the "Application Form for free testing of COVID-19" entering to the Digital Platform “ergasia.testing.gov.gr.”
The platform carries out a verification check to confirm that they are employees of a company with more than 20 employees, through an interface with the electronic system of the Ministry of Labour "ERGANI".
After the successful verification, employees can complete the required information as well as the testing centre they choose for the examination.
The selection of employees is always made according to the available tests. Once the employee is selected for free test, he receives an SMS with the date/time and address of the testing center. On the day of the examination the worker presents the SMS to the health staff for priority examination. The SMS is used as a moving permission for the examination and the employee takes a 3 hours justified leave of absence in order to make the test.
The following updates to this measure have been made after it came into effect.
13 May 2021 |
Please change the status from temporary to open ended. The measure is in effect, and its expiration date is still unknown |
According to the Ministry of Labour with the new measure is expected to increase significantly the number of tests made by the Public Health System, which at the day of the announcement of the measure were approximately 45,000 daily. In total the testing centres participating in the programme are 386 across the country.
Workers | Businesses | Citizens |
---|---|---|
Employees in standard employment
|
Applies to all businesses | Does not apply to citizens |
Actors | Funding |
---|---|
National government
Company / Companies |
National funds
|
Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:
Trade unions | Employers' organisations | |
---|---|---|
Role | No involvement | No involvement |
Form | Not applicable | Not applicable |
Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:
There is no involvement of social partners.
There are no social partner's reactions to the measure.
Citation
Eurofound (2021), Free COVID-19 rapid tests in businesses with a staff of more than 20 employees, measure GR-2021-11/1829 (measures in Greece), EU PolicyWatch, Dublin, https://static.eurofound.europa.eu/covid19db/cases/GR-2021-11_1829.html
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