Eurofound's COVID-19 EU PolicyWatch collates information on the responses of government and social partners to the crisis, as well as gathering examples of company practices aimed at mitigating the social and economic impacts.
Overview of measures by category
Cases in this category contain examples of emergency legislation, agreements or company practices concerning occupational safety and health (OSH) and worker well-being, particularly for workplaces with significant client contact where social distancing is difficult, such as the care sector, retail or banks. It also includes new work arrangements aimed at limiting the direct face-to-face contacts, in particular through teleworking, but also via new working time arrangements.
Overall, Eurofound has identified 167 measures in 30 countries for this category.
07 September 2020 |
Collective agreement Volkswagen Slovensko Bratislava for 2019-2023
Slovakia, Bipartite collective agreements |
09 December 2020 |
Secure pay and safe working conditions at Krones
Germany, Company practices |
01 December 2020 |
BAE Systems: Social distancing measures help staff return to work safely
United Kingdom, Company practices |
30 November 2020 |
Dublin Airport restructuring plan
Ireland, Company practices |
12 October 2020 Updated |
Staggered working times - exceptional and transitory regime
Portugal, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
27 September 2020 |
Measures for protecting the employees in the banking sector
Romania, Other initiatives or policies |
10 September 2020 |
A new employment model in Höfe
Slovenia, Company practices |
10 September 2020 Updated |
Trade union initiative for a complete closure of shops on Sunday
Slovenia, Other initiatives or policies |
24 June 2020 |
Combis officially implements remote work model
Croatia, Company practices |
16 April 2020 |
Organisation of work in the public sector
Greece, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
16 April 2020 Updated |
Allowing new working arrangements due to pandemic
Hungary, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
14 April 2020 |
Emergency measures to speed temporary layoffs and short time work schemes for cooperatives
Spain, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
08 April 2020 |
Civil protection authority entitled to set working time in retail trade
Croatia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
31 March 2020 |
Airbus agreement for making up unworked hours during its production suspension period
France, Bipartite collective agreements |
22 December 2020 |
Gozo Telework Scheme
Malta, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
18 December 2020 |
Increased use of new digital platforms
Norway, Company practices |
17 December 2020 |
Use of home office in public and private companies
Norway, Company practices |
09 December 2020 |
New Normal Working Model at Siemens
Germany, Company practices |
09 December 2020 |
Safe working conditions and safe production at B. Braun Melsungen AG
Germany, Company practices |
08 December 2020 |
IndustriAll Europe calls for urgent reaction to the sudden developments on telework
European Union, Non-binding recommendations or other texts |
08 December 2020 |
Lesaffre Bulgaria: Effects of the pandemic on business and changes in the way of working
Bulgaria, Company practices |
02 December 2020 |
Government guidelines cybersecurity and remote working
Netherlands, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
02 December 2020 |
VodafoneZiggo: Long-term remote working policy
Netherlands, Company practices |
01 December 2020 |
ING: Free choice of up to 100% telework
Spain, Company practices |
27 November 2020 |
Argenta: Bank introduces crisis management team
Belgium, Company practices |
26 November 2020 |
Homeworking in VSE Holding
Slovakia, Company practices |
26 November 2020 |
Suez: Agreement on telework
France, Bipartite collective agreements |
23 November 2020 |
Banca-Credito Cooperativo company agreement on the smart working
Italy, Bipartite collective agreements |
23 November 2020 |
Acciai Speciali Terni company agreement of smart working
Italy, Bipartite collective agreements |
23 November 2020 |
Merck Serono company agreement on smart working
Italy, Bipartite collective agreements |
03 November 2020 |
Distance work arrangements in Ignitis Group
Lithuania, Company practices |
02 November 2020 |
Agreement on a teleworking regime
Luxembourg, Bipartite collective agreements |
31 October 2020 |
New permanent regulation on remote work under consideration
Poland, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
30 October 2020 |
New measures for the teleworking in the public administration
Italy, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
29 October 2020 |
KTH:s remote working rules and return to work
Sweden, Company practices |
29 October 2020 |
E-club by sport club Akros
Estonia, Company practices |
24 October 2020 |
Urgent mesures on teleworking in public administrations
Spain, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
24 October 2020 |
Regulation of remote work
Spain, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
16 October 2020 |
Exceptional support for the implementation of telework
France, Other initiatives or policies |
15 October 2020 |
Exceptional support for training courses to support people with disabilities
France, Other initiatives or policies |
02 October 2020 |
Telework and workers with disability or impairment - exceptional and temporary measure in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic
Portugal, Other initiatives or policies |
28 September 2020 |
Company agreements on smart-working suggest that teleworking will be here to stay
Italy, Bipartite collective agreements |
25 September 2020 |
Principles and guidelines for the new agile work in the telecommunications supply chain
Italy, Bipartite collective agreements |
25 September 2020 |
Distance working or work suspension for vulnerable workers
Working distance or suspending work of vulnerable groups.
Working distance or suspending work of vulnerable group
Greece, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
15 September 2020 |
Improvement of working conditions for employees with serious health problems
Lithuania, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
14 September 2020 |
Amendment of the sectoral collective agreement for the Lithuanian national public health system
Lithuania, Bipartite collective agreements |
11 September 2020 Updated |
Initiative from employers for reforming teleworking arrangements
Slovenia, Non-binding recommendations or other texts |
10 July 2020 |
Telework - Increasing the number of Public Administration workers in teleworking
Portugal, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
07 May 2020 |
Office allowance for teleworkers
Belgium, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
25 April 2020 |
SME subsidy for teleworking: Region of Styria and Chamber of Labour
Austria, Other initiatives or policies |
16 April 2020 |
Subsidy for home offices - IT infrastructure
Austria, Other initiatives or policies |
16 April 2020 Updated |
Employers authorised to unilaterally switch to teleworking
Greece, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
14 April 2020 |
Recommendation on teleworking
Austria, Non-binding recommendations or other texts |
12 April 2020 |
Preference for remote work
Spain, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
10 April 2020 |
New telework rules: mandatory application, telework allowance and favourable tax treatment
France, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
08 April 2020 |
Teleworking and working from home in the public and broader public sector
Cyprus, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
06 April 2020 Updated |
Telework - exceptional and temporary measure in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic
Portugal, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
06 April 2020 |
New rules for teleworking
Slovakia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
04 April 2020 Updated |
Facilitating teleworking
Malta, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
31 March 2020 Updated |
Simplifying the adoption of the smart working regime
Italy, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
10 February 2021 |
Netguru: Remote working and well-being at IT company
Poland, Company practices |
07 February 2021 |
Ervia: Agile work programme aided move to remote working during pandemic
Ireland, Company practices |
06 February 2021 |
Allegro: remote working policy development
Poland, Company practices |
06 February 2021 |
Schaeffler Global Services Europe: Remote working and workplace well-being measures
Poland, Company practices |
11 January 2021 |
Financial support for teleworkers
Romania, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
Disclaimer: This information has not been subject to the full Eurofound evaluation, editorial and publication process. All information is preliminary and subject to change.