Coronavirus: rules for the resumption of work on 11 May

A Ministerial Decree of 8 May 2020 specifies the rules for the resumption of work on 11 May 2020.

Opening with appropriate precautionary measures

Companies offering goods or services to consumers may, subject to exceptions, open under certain conditions.

They must, among others and in good time, take appropriate precautionary measures to ensure, among other things, the application of the rules of social distancing or, if this is not possible, to provide at least an equivalent level of protection.

These measures, which are worked out at company level, shall be adopted in consultation with:

• on the one hand, the employee representatives or, failing that, the employees concerned;
• and, on the other hand, the services for prevention and protection at work.

This refers among others to the measures defined:

• in the generic guide to the opening of businesses to prevent the spread of the coronavirus COVID-19;
• in the generic guide for combatting the spread of COVID-19 at work;
• by sectoral directives.

The companies shall inform third parties and the employees in good time on this subject;

Maintenance of measures applicable to employees

There is no change in the measures that apply to employees and the companies employing them.

As a reminder, these measures differ depending on whether or not the company is part of the crucial sectors and essential services.

However, as companies are now accessible to the public, it is also appropriate:

• in companies of the crucial sectors and essential services, to comply as far as possible with the rules of social distancing ;
• in non-essential companies, to comply with the necessary measures to ensure maximum compliance with the rules of social distancing.

Source: Ministerial Decree of 8 May 2020 amending the Ministerial Decree of 23 March 2020 on urgent measures to limit the spread of the coronavirus COVID - 19, Belgian Official Gazette of 8 May 2020.