Which job categories are next to require self tests
self tests
15 Apr 2021
/ 10:07
ATHENS. Employment Minister Kostis Hadjidakis announced that mandatory self tests will be extended to workers coming in contact with a large number of customers.
"As part of the measures we are taking to protect public health we are using self tests, which will help prevent the spread of the virus in workplaces," Said the Minister. "We are therefore extending the use of this useful tool to several private sectors".
The sectors are as follows:
Retail shops including supermarkets and food and drink shops
Catering establishments
Land, sea and air transport
Cleaning services
Hairdressers, beauty centres and betting and gaming establishments
The above sectors have been included in the Joint Ministerial Decision.
Self tests are mandatory before employees can enter the place of work and offer services in person. The tests must be taken once a week.
How the system will work
Firstly, the Ministry of Employment and Social Affairs will send the AMKA numbers of those involved in the aforementioned sectors to IDIKA (e-Government Centre for Social Security) as they are registered in the ERGANI Information System.
Every week the Ministry will update the workers' data and send any changes to IDIKA, such as new recruits, contract terminations etc.
Self tests are mandatory for those involved in the aforementioned sectors. These tests can be obtained free at pharmacists with their AMKA number. If an employee chooses instead of a self test to take a rapid or PCR test at their own expense or the employer's expense, that is also acceptable.
The employee then registers the test result on the ERGANI Information System in a very simple procedure. On the platform self-testing.gov.gr 'Declaration of Self Test Results for Workers' is selected, which will take them to the supportemployees.gov.gr platform and by selecting 'Declaration of COVID-19 Test Results' will be taken to ERGANI Information System.
If the test result is negative, the employee can go to work.
If the test result is positive, the employee cannot go to work and must take a repeat test within 24 hours. The test can be taken at a free public facility listed in self-testing.gov.gr or at a private facility of choice at their own expense or the employer's expense.
Until the results of the second test come out, the employee and family must stay at home in quarantine.
If the result of the second test is positive, a confirmation is issued and the employee must stay in quarantine according to EODY protocols.
If, however, the result of the second test is negative, confirmation is again issued and the employee has to go to work.
It is mandatory for the results of the second test to be registered online under 'Declaration of COVID-19 Test Results'.
Employers are obliged to inform employees of their obligation to take self tests and of the consequences if they don't do so.
Pharmacists will also be informed via the IDIKA platform of which employees are eligible to receive self tests so that the whole process can operate smoothly.
Finally, the Employment Minister made it clear what will happen if this procedure is not followed. An employer is not allowed to have an employee working in person if they haven't taken a self test and if they haven't registered the result - especially if the result is positive.
If an employee comes to work without having registered the self test result, the employer is obliged not to accept them and is not obliged to pay them until the employee follows the proper procedure.
Employment Inspectors checks
If an employer does not inform employees of their obligation to take self tests by any means (e-mail, messaging, announcement etc.), then the employer will be fined €300.
If inspections find that the employer is allowing an employee who hasn't registered self test results to work, then the employer will be fined €500 per employee.
If an employer is found to be allowing an employee to work with a positive test result - either from the first or second test - then the employer will be fined €1,500 per employee.
Tests available at pharmacists from Monday
As the free self tests will be available at pharmacists from Monday 19 April, for the first week of implementation registrations of test results can be done at any time from Monday 19th to Sunday 25th April.
The sectors are as follows:
Retail shops including supermarkets and food and drink shops
Catering establishments
Land, sea and air transport
Cleaning services
Hairdressers, beauty centres and betting and gaming establishments
The above sectors have been included in the Joint Ministerial Decision.
Self tests are mandatory before employees can enter the place of work and offer services in person. The tests must be taken once a week.
How the system will work
Firstly, the Ministry of Employment and Social Affairs will send the AMKA numbers of those involved in the aforementioned sectors to IDIKA (e-Government Centre for Social Security) as they are registered in the ERGANI Information System.
Every week the Ministry will update the workers' data and send any changes to IDIKA, such as new recruits, contract terminations etc.
Self tests are mandatory for those involved in the aforementioned sectors. These tests can be obtained free at pharmacists with their AMKA number. If an employee chooses instead of a self test to take a rapid or PCR test at their own expense or the employer's expense, that is also acceptable.
The employee then registers the test result on the ERGANI Information System in a very simple procedure. On the platform self-testing.gov.gr 'Declaration of Self Test Results for Workers' is selected, which will take them to the supportemployees.gov.gr platform and by selecting 'Declaration of COVID-19 Test Results' will be taken to ERGANI Information System.
If the test result is negative, the employee can go to work.
If the test result is positive, the employee cannot go to work and must take a repeat test within 24 hours. The test can be taken at a free public facility listed in self-testing.gov.gr or at a private facility of choice at their own expense or the employer's expense.
Until the results of the second test come out, the employee and family must stay at home in quarantine.
If the result of the second test is positive, a confirmation is issued and the employee must stay in quarantine according to EODY protocols.
If, however, the result of the second test is negative, confirmation is again issued and the employee has to go to work.
It is mandatory for the results of the second test to be registered online under 'Declaration of COVID-19 Test Results'.
Employers are obliged to inform employees of their obligation to take self tests and of the consequences if they don't do so.
Pharmacists will also be informed via the IDIKA platform of which employees are eligible to receive self tests so that the whole process can operate smoothly.
Finally, the Employment Minister made it clear what will happen if this procedure is not followed. An employer is not allowed to have an employee working in person if they haven't taken a self test and if they haven't registered the result - especially if the result is positive.
If an employee comes to work without having registered the self test result, the employer is obliged not to accept them and is not obliged to pay them until the employee follows the proper procedure.
Employment Inspectors checks
If an employer does not inform employees of their obligation to take self tests by any means (e-mail, messaging, announcement etc.), then the employer will be fined €300.
If inspections find that the employer is allowing an employee who hasn't registered self test results to work, then the employer will be fined €500 per employee.
If an employer is found to be allowing an employee to work with a positive test result - either from the first or second test - then the employer will be fined €1,500 per employee.
Tests available at pharmacists from Monday
As the free self tests will be available at pharmacists from Monday 19 April, for the first week of implementation registrations of test results can be done at any time from Monday 19th to Sunday 25th April.
