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The work-from-home arrangement, for when three or more employees in the same office test COVID-19 positive within seven days, has been reduced from 14 to 10 days to minimise disruptions to the workplace.
In a bid to “mitigate potential disruptions to businesses”, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has revised the guidelines on implementing a “snap” work-from-home regime when COVID-19 cases are detected at workplaces, reported Channel News Asia (CNA).
Starting Wednesday, employers are required to implement a snap work-from-home regime once three or more employees working at the same premises or branch tested positive for COVID-19 within seven consecutive days.
This comes as the situation “may be indicative of workplace transmission”, said MOM.
Currently, just one positive case is enough to implement the snap work-from-home arrangement.
The work-from home’s duration will also be reduced from 14 to 10 days, beginning from the day after the date of the third employee’s latest COVID-positive test result.
“This is in line with the quarantine period reduction for close contacts of COVID-positive cases” previously announced by the Ministry of Health, explained MOM.
Affected workers – including vendors and on-site contractors – who were required to be on snap work-from-home arrangements can return to the office for ad-hoc reasons once their Antigen Rapid Test (ART) comes back negative.
“The test must be completed before they return, and not be more than 24 hours before the end of their ad-hoc return to the workplace,” said MOM as quoted by CNA.
Employers and employees were urged to exercise social responsibility to self-isolate the moment they are aware that they have been in close contact with COVID-19 positive individuals.
The ministry also encouraged all affected employees to monitor their health as well as administer ART self-swabs at least twice per week during the 10-day period and before they return to their workplace.
Meanwhile, employers are mandated to vacate and cordon off sections where COVID-positive employees worked and deep clean the affected premises.
Employers should also review as well as ensure that adequate safe management measures are observed, such as ensuring that no more than 50% of employees able to work from home are present at the workplace at one time, observance of a safe distance of at least 1m and doing away with social gatherings at the office.
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Cheryl Chiew, Digital Content Specialist at PropertyGuru, edited this story. To contact her about this story, email: cheryl@propertyguru.com.sg.
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