The Act of 2 March 2020 on ‘Specific Solutions Related to the Prevention and Eradication of COVID-19, Other Infectious Diseases and Crisis Situations Caused by Them’ entered into force on 8 March 2020. The new legislation aims to counteract the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) disease, which continues to sweep the globe at an alarming rate.
This new Act sanctions remote work for a fixed period, affording employers the option to instruct employees to perform the work specified in their employment contracts, in a location independent of the permanent site where they normally carry out their employment activities. This type of remote work does not constitute telework in the meaning recognised by the Polish Labour Code. Nevertheless, employers nationwide have embraced this unique opportunity to work remotely.
Additionally, on the basis of this new Act, in the event of the closure of a nursery, children’s club, kindergarten or school that a child attends, as a result of COVID-19, the insured parent or legal guardian of the child, who is exempt from working because they need to personally take care of a child up to 8 years old, shall now be entitled to an additional care allowance, for a period not to exceed 14 days.
Please bear in mind that as circumstances surrounding the virus evolve, so too will this new Act. Accordingly, we are closely monitoring this rapidly changing situation in order to respond to the needs of businesses affected by the global COVID-19 pandemic.
For more information on these articles or any other issues involving labour and employment matters in Poland, please contact Prof. Arkadiusz Sobczyk (Partner) of Sobczyk & Partners Law Firm at arkadiusz.sobczyk@sobczyk.com.pl or visit www.sobczyk.com.pl.
For more information please contact Joseph Granato, Communications Manager at L&E Global at joseph.granato@leglobal.org.