Working time

The coronavirus pandemic is proving to be a disaster for small and medium-sized enterprises across Europe, particularly for those in the south and east of the bloc and their non-EU neighbours.

Most EU countries have taken some form of measure to protect businesses from the effects of the coronavirus crisis.

Remote working for civil servants, which has effectively undergone a trial run during the Covid-19 pandemic, could be extended indefinitely after the end of the public lockdown, which the government gradually started easing this week, Kathimerini understands.

As of today, May 7, 2020, the "blue" and "green" zones in Sofia are being restored, the Sofia Municipality announced. We remind you that the working hours of the zones start at 8:30 am and end at 7:30 pm.

Many virtual meetings begin these days with references to our cranial and facial hair, and the unfortunate state it is in due to our isolation at home. Greece's Chief Creative Officer Steve Vranakis jokes about his shaved head - the work of his wife and the cause of a state of mild embarrassment when he had to do a video conference call with the prime minister.

Enterprises view the continuation of teleworking, even after the lockdown restrictions come to an end, in a positive light, with the vast majority considering it an efficient measure against the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a survey conducted by human resources consultancy KPMG.

The social distancing measures that have recently been introduced due to the coronavirus pandemic, have forced many people to work from home; for many of them this will be the first time that they have had to do so. However, how common was working from home before these measures came into force?

Enterprises found to be employing workers whose contracts have been suspended will be fined 1,200 euros for each employee, according to a decision by Labor Minister Yiannis Vroutsis. The fine will also concern corporations that have suspended the labor contracts of employees but still employ over 10 percent of them through teleworking.

All the employers who during this period have applied the measure of temporary suspension of the individual employment contracts, considering the effects of the new coronavirus epidemic, qualify for furlough aid, which will be applied throughout the state of emergency, announced on Friday, Ionel Danca the head of the Prime Minister's Chancellery.

For the first time in days - a drop in the death cases in Italy. For the last 24 hours, they are 651.

All businesses must be closed by April 3. The exceptions are valid for those that are important for sustaining life in Italy.

The dilemma being faced by thousands of troubled employers across Greece is whether to dismiss employees or suspend their labor contracts instead, as the government is proposing.