More changes for businesses are afoot in the Irish government’s plans to ease lockdown restrictions. 

There’s a lot to digest and at RBK HR Solutions we have developed a comprehensive “COVID-19 in the Workplace – A Practical Guide for Employers” in line with guidance from the HSE, HSA, NSAI and the Department of Business Enterprise and Innovation, and HR Best Practice.

You may feel overwhelmed, and not know where to start - this is completely understandable.

Key Points to Note:

• The Government's Return to Work Safely Protocol (the "Protocol") is mandatory 
• The Health and Safety Authority (the "HSA") have powers to enforce compliance 
• The HSA are conducting COVID-19 spot checks and audits on all businesses around the country 
• The HSA can order a business to shut down the workplace if it fails to comply with the guidelines 
• The HSA are issuing non-compliant businesses with Improvement Notices to adhere to the mandatory guidelines and in some instances are giving only 1-day to implement improvements 
• The HSA can issue businesses with Prohibition Notice to cease carrying out specified activities 
• Failure to comply can lead to the HSA ordering you to shut down the workplace 
• From an insurance perspective, do you know that if an employee contracts COVID-19 whilst in the workplace, they could potentially hold you liable for not providing them with a safe place to work 
• Employers have a statutory duty of care for people’s health, safety and welfare at work

Though the focus is shifting to a return to work, some employees may still be working from home and it’s important that you don’t lose sight of their needs. Regular communication is key to addressing any issues before they escalate and the time and effort involved are well worth it.

At RBK HR Solutions, we understand that balancing the pressure to get back to business whilst keeping your employees safe is not easy and we can assist you with this.

COVID-19 in the Workplace – A Practical Guide for Employers

This Practical Guide outlines steps that your company can take to reduce the spread of the virus and will help you understand the HR needs of your business and your employees during this time:

• Social distancing 
• Maintenance of Health, Well-being & Hygiene 
• Employer-Employee Engagement, Communication & Training 
• COVID-19 Response Plan 
• COVID-19 Employee Representative(s) 
• Risk Assessment 
• Absence and other HR Policies & Procedures 
• Working from home 
• Roles & Responsibilities 
• Managing COVID-19 in the Workplace Templates e.g. COVID-19 Policy

How can RBK Help?

For more information on the above and to find out more about RBK's 'COVID-19 in the Workplace - A Practical Guide for Employers', please contact - Yvonne Clarke, HR Solutions Manager on (090) 6480600.