Background information

In relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, the government adopted several measures to alleviate its impact on employers, employees as well as citizens. In relation to this, some companies made restrictions in their operation. Among them were companies providing services for customers, companies as well as citizens. For instance, companies providing electricity supply, which closed their customer service centres and started to communicate with their customers only online.

Content of measure

To maintain employment, protect the health of employees as well as citizens/customers by avoiding personal contact, the management of Východoslovenská energetika - VSE Holding, a. s. company in Kosice decided to close its customer service centres. It agreed with local trade unions of the Energy-Chemical Trade Union Association (ECHOZ) that employees working in closed customer service centres and some technicians will provide services for the customers online via homeworking. The government implemented new rules for homeworking in the Labour Code that allowed wider use of homeworking in Slovakia – mentioned in the COVID-19 Policy Watch database, SK-2020-14/302, New rules for teleworking . Homeworking in the VSE Holding was implemented by adoption of in-home regulations. Actual information on online services of VSE for customers was available at the webpage of company.

Use of measure

The use of homeworking was agreed for an unlimited time and according to the available information, about 80% of VSE Holding employees used homeworking. Homeworking was also used by administrative workers of Innogy Slovensko Company, which is a part of VSE Holding. According to the speaker of Východoslovenská distribucná Company, which also belongs to the VSE Holding, ensuring reliable electricity supply to customers is a priority of the company. The implementation of homeworking allowed for this goal to be achieved.

According to the decision of the VSE Holding management, the management can order any eligible employee to work from home until 31 May 2021.

Contents

• Telework

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Workers in essential services	Sector specific set of companies	Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
Company / Companies	No special funding required

Social partners

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

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	Agreed (outcome) incl. social partner initiative	Unknown
Form	Consultation through tripartite or bipartite social dialogue bodies	Not applicable

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

• Unknown
• Main level of involvement: Company level

Involvement

This is a joint initiative of management of VSE Holding, a.s. in Košice and local trade union organisation of the ECHOZ in VSE Holding.

Views and reactions

According to the representative of local trade union organisation ECHOZ in VSE Holding, agreement with company management on conclusion of the Supplement to the company collective agreement on temporary implementation of homeworking contributed to keeping the employment in company. It ensured unfailing electricity supply to customers and at the same time, effective protection of employees´ health.

Sectors and occupations

Sources

• 12 March 2020: Koronavírus zatvára zákaznícke centrá energetikov (www.webnoviny.sk)