On 17 March, the Council of Ministers approved a new Decree Law on “Urgent measures to counter the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic, following the end of the state of emergency.” The Decree Law was published in the Official Gazette on 24 March (Decree Law no. 24/2022).
The state of emergency ended on 31 March, and, according to the statements made by the President of the Council of Ministers, it became necessary to issue new provisions aimed at facilitating the return to an “ordinary” situation.
Among the measures provided for by Decree Law no. 24/2022 and effective from 1 April, there is:
- the obligation to wear respiratory protective devices in indoor places until 30 April 2022. Surgical masks are considered worker personal protective equipment (PPE) under Art. 74, paragraph 1, of Legislative Decree no. 81/2008. Employers are advised to continue to apply the measures provided for by the Anti-Contagion Safety Protocols, which are an essential reference for the safe performance of workers’ activities;
- although the vaccination requirement for citizens over 50 remains unchanged until 15 June 2022 (including those who will turn 50 on that date), the workers concerned can submit the basic green pass to access the workplace until 30 April, (see the “Did you know that” paragraph)
- the extension until 30 June of the “simplified” remote working, i.e. ability to use this method without the need of an individual agreement between employer and worker. Please note that the Chamber’s labour commission is working on a new bill, which – according to sources close to the legislator – should make essential amendments to the regulations on the subject currently governed by Law no. 81/2017;
- An extension of the health monitoring of workers most exposed to the risk of contagion by the employer due to age or risk condition resulting “from immunodepression, including from COVID-19, or the results of oncological diseases or life-saving therapies or co-morbidities that may involve a greater risk” until 30 June 2022, to ensure the safe performance of production and commercial activities.
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