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.
Overview of measures by target group – category: Workers
Eurofound has identified 55 measures for this target group. Most of these measures fall into the category Ensuring business continuity and support for essential services (56%).
Ensuring business continuity and support for essential services |
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27 November 2020 |
Salary bonus for HM Hospitals workers
Spain, Company practices |
25 November 2020 |
Bonuses to Mercadona employees during the health emergency
Spain, Company practices |
04 November 2020 |
Corona bonus of €3000 rewards Vienna Port employees for exceptional burden
Austria, Bipartite collective agreements |
30 October 2020 |
Elite Hotels offer subsidised stays for people in risk groups and health care staff
Sweden, Company practices |
08 October 2021 |
Collective bargaining on crisis bonuses in the public sector
Slovenia, Bipartite collective agreements |
17 September 2020 Updated |
Premium for hospital workers
Germany, Bipartite collective agreements |
10 September 2020 Updated |
COVID-19: Assistance for frontline workers in health care services
Bulgaria, Tripartite agreements |
09 September 2020 |
Frame agreement on working time regulations in kindergartens in connection with coronavirus
Norway, Bipartite collective agreements |
09 September 2020 |
Agreement on care for young people in child welfare institutions who are infected with coronavirus, or are ill with suspected coronavirus
Norway, Bipartite collective agreements |
09 September 2020 Updated |
New state sector agreement to facilitate working time planning
Norway, Bipartite collective agreements |
09 September 2020 |
Private nursing homes and paramedics: New collective agreement expands access to overtime
Norway, Bipartite collective agreements |
08 September 2020 |
Municipalities: New collective agreement expands access to overtime
Norway, Bipartite collective agreements |
08 September 2020 |
Hospitals: New collective agreement expands access to overtime
Norway, Bipartite collective agreements |
20 May 2022 |
Changes to employment arrangements will benefit 1,800 non-EEA doctors
Ireland, Other initiatives or policies |
11 May 2020 |
Increase in working time during the crisis period
Luxembourg, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
06 May 2020 |
Measures to deploy a larger workforce in public healthcare and allow for the reassignment of public sector staff and teachers to other duties
Ireland, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
06 May 2020 |
Increase of maximum weekly working hours
Austria, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
05 May 2020 Updated |
Permission to derogate from working hours arrangements in critical functions
Finland, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
05 May 2020 Updated |
Permission to derogate from the obligation to obtain the employee’s consent to work overtime in critical sectors
Finland, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
05 May 2020 Updated |
Temporary right to suspend or postpone leave requests in critical functions of society
Finland, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
05 May 2020 Updated |
Mobilisation of healthcare professionals
Finland, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
21 April 2020 |
Schools and kindergartens open to personnel in critical society functions
Norway, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
16 April 2020 Updated |
Removal of income ceiling for student aid to facilitate work in essential services
Sweden, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
16 April 2020 |
Extraordinary financial support to personnel of public health and civil protection institutions
Greece, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
12 April 2021 Updated |
New public service agreement concluded against background of pandemic
Ireland, Bipartite collective agreements |
10 April 2020 Updated |
Limitation of certain rights of healthcare workers
Slovenia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
08 April 2020 |
Care for children or other dependants of workers of essential services
Portugal, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
08 April 2020 |
Utilisation of graduate medical and nursing students
Cyprus, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
06 April 2020 Updated |
Exceptional regime suspending overtime limits
Portugal, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
07 February 2021 |
Manufacturing companies pay bonus to employees working onsite
Ireland, Company practices |
02 February 2021 |
EU sectoral social partners call for the safety of seafarers
European Union, Non-binding recommendations or other texts |
Supporting businesses to stay afloat |
04 February 2021 |
MYTILINEOS: Changes to the operational plan to face the COVID-19 pandemic
Greece, Company practices |
Employment protection and retention |
04 August 2020 Updated |
Long term short-working scheme
France, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
11 May 2020 |
Recoverable paid leave
Spain, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
10 January 2022 |
COVID-19 winter package for hospitals
Denmark, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
10 January 2022 |
Healthcare professionals can transfer their holidays to the next year
Denmark, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
Reorientation of business activities |
01 December 2020 |
Brewdog: Protecting staff, business and community
United Kingdom, Company practices |
30 October 2020 |
Absolut Vodka's change in business activity to produce disinfection
Sweden, Company practices |
31 March 2020 |
OpenHotel platform for essential workers
Austria, Other initiatives or policies |
Protection of workers, adaptation of workplace |
10 December 2020 Updated |
Integrating outsourced workers at Tönnies
Germany, Company practices |
01 December 2020 |
Online mental health service launched for frontline workers
Ireland, Other initiatives or policies |
26 November 2020 |
Homeworking in VSE Holding
Slovakia, Company practices |
26 November 2020 |
Memorandum on the implementation of socially responsible policies in the commerce sector
Latvia, Non-binding recommendations or other texts |
12 November 2020 |
Bonuses, overnight shift at Tesco
Hungary, Company practices |
30 September 2021 |
Recruitment of fixed-term employees/Outsourcing services
Greece, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
14 September 2020 |
Teaching unions' coronavirus online information hubs
United Kingdom, Other initiatives or policies |
10 September 2020 |
EU social partners in central governments' sector call for investing in public sector staff
European Union, Non-binding recommendations or other texts |
05 July 2023 |
Suspension of the obligation to vaccinate healthcare workers against COVID-19
France, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
16 May 2021 |
COVID-19: sick leave within the waiting period
France, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
13 April 2020 Updated |
Self-isolation Vienna Energy
Austria, Company practices |
10 April 2020 |
Protection of workers and the public
Cyprus, Non-binding recommendations or other texts |
Measures to prevent social hardship |
25 November 2020 Updated |
United against COVID-19: Campaign to fund projects for vulnerable people
Bulgaria, Other initiatives or policies |
Promoting the economic, labour market and social recovery |
13 June 2023 |
Helping Refugees: Measure No. 3 – Volunteering activities
Slovakia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
09 May 2022 |
Simplified procedures for Ukrainian healthcare personnel
Poland, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
05 May 2020 Updated |
Temporary extension of notice period in case of employee resignation in critical functions of society
Finland, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
30 January 2023
Governments across the EU continue to implement policies to support citizens and businesses in the face of rising food and energy prices caused by the COVID-19 crisis and intensified by the war in Ukraine. This article summarises the policy responses as reported in Eurofound's EU PolicyWatch database from January to September 2022.
Article12 September 2022
Although the worldwide pandemic situation had already disrupted supply chains and triggered increases in energy and food prices in 2021, the situation deteriorated in 2022 with the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Article12 September 2022
This article summarises the first policy responses that governments across the EU have started to implement to support companies affected by the rising prices, and those with commercial ties to Ukraine, Russia or Belarus.
Article5 July 2022
This article summarises the first policy responses of EU Member States, including those of the social partners and other civil society actors, enabling refugees to exercise their rights under the Temporary Protection Directive.
ArticleDisclaimer: This information has not been subject to the full Eurofound evaluation, editorial and publication process.