COVID-19: Exceptional and Temporary Measures
EA BriefLabour
16 March, 2020The Decree-Law no. 10-A/2020 of 13 March creates exceptional and temporary measures concerning the epidemiological situation of the new Coronavirus – COVID 19, as well as to restore normality following it.
With the entry into force of this Regulation, an exceptional system of public contracting has been established, by which the direct adjustment procedure for the conclusion of contracts is simplified, as well as it is created an exceptional system of expenditure commitments and administrative authorizations.
An exceptional scheme is established for the composition of medical boards for disability assessment of disabled people, human resource management in the health sector and service procurement.
Restrictive measures, including the suspension of teaching and non-teaching activities in all educational or training establishments shall be established between 16 March 2020 and 9 April 2020, with possible extension after reassessment. Finalist and similar trips are also considered cancelled.
Restrictions on access to establishments shall come into force, with possible restrictions on access to public services and buildings.
A special regime for procedural and judicial acts and steps shall be established, which includes a special regime as to fair impediment, justification of absences and postponement of procedural and judicial steps, consequences of the closure of installations where procedural or judicial acts are performed, and a special regime in terms of deadline expiry, which shall include the suspension of the deadline for tacit deferment of authorizations and licences and the deferment of the deadline for holding general meetings, which may be held until 30 June 2020.
In particular, social protection measures related to sickness and parenthood are established, namely, due to serious risk to public health decreed by entities exercising the power of health authority, a favourable regime applies:
- Leave scheme for workers in prophylactic isolation or caring for a child or grandchild under the age of 12 or, regardless of age, with a disability or chronic illness, in prophylactic isolation or by suspension of teaching activities in person;
- Provision of sickness benefit;
- Extraordinary family support for employees, the self-employed and workers in the converging social protection scheme and extraordinary support for the economic activity of the self-employed, which includes the deferment of the contribution payment;
- Promotion of teleworking as to compatible functions.
