Dear clients,

as we have more questions about traveling to / from the Czech Republic, we would like to send you brief legal updates on the new protection measure, effective from 5 February 2021 (00:00) (full text available here), specifically the relevant information for employers.

NEW DIVISION OF COUNTRIES

Recently, the list of countries with a low risk of infection has been changed so that the countries are divided into:

- countries with a low risk of infection (green countries);

- countries with a medium risk of infection (orange countries);

- countries with a high risk of infection (red countries);

- countries with a very high risk of infection (dark red countries).

The full current list of countries is available here.

Clear infographics of the Ministry of the Interior available here.

INFORMATION FOR EMPLOYERS

- Undoubtedly, the biggest innovation for employers is the obligation for employees (for all persons) entering their establishment or workplace to inform the employer / end user of the worker that they have traveled to a country with a medium / high / very high risk of COVID-19, time exceeding 12 hours; which could practically make it easier for employers to fulfill their obligation not to admit these people to the workplace without a negative test.

Submission of a negative test

- Regarding the old-new obligation for employers and end users of an employee to require the submission of a negative RT-PCR test for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 from the territory of the Czech Republic when entering the workplace / establishment, these obligations are newly formulated as follows:

! Please note that this obligation now applies to all persons regardless of their nationality

 in case the person returns from a country with a medium risk (stay in the last 14 days, more than 12 hours), the employer / end user is obliged to request a written confirmation of a negative result of antigen or RT-PCR test for admission to the workplace / establishment (this test must not be older than 24 hours (antigenic) or 72 hours for the RT - PCR test, counted back from the time of crossing the state border, ie this test will in fact be performed abroad; however, due to the nature of the matter, we believe that in fact the submission of a test from the territory of the Czech Republic should not be a problem either);

 in case the person returns from a country with high risk / very high risk (stay in the last 14 days, more than 12 hours), the employer / end user is obliged to request confirmation of a negative RT - PCR result for admission to the workplace / establishment test, from the territory of the Czech Republic; in case of return from a country with a very high risk, this test is submitted only after 5 days from the arrival in the Czech Republic.

Protective equipment upon return

- There is a new obligation – in case of return from countries with medium / high / very high risk, regardless of the duration of the trip - the obligation to wear, for 10 days from entry into the Czech Republic, respirators without exhalation valve with at least FFP2 classification, KN95 , N95, P2, DS or at least disposable medical face masks.

Exceptions for travel

- Furthermore, an exception still applies (without the obligation to test / fill in the arrival form) in the case of transit / journey to / from the Czech Republic, for journeys not exceeding 12 hours, for EU citizens, incl. citizens of the Czech Republic and foreigners with a long-term or permanent residence permit in the EU, but only for travel for the following reasons:

 travel to and from business or other similar activity and to the performance of the duties of a public official or constitutional official;

 exercise of the profession;

 performance of activities to ensure - security, internal order and crisis management; health protection, provision of health or social care; public transport and other infrastructure; services for residents, including supply and delivery services;

 participation in a holiday mass event;

 journeys back to the place of residence.

between 21:00 and 4:59

 urgent trips, the realization of which is absolutely necessary even at night in order to protect life, health, property or other legally protected interests;

 walking dogs up to 500 m from the place of residence.

between 5:00 and 20:59

 necessary travel to family or close person;

 travel for the purchase of goods and services or the provision of services, the provision of necessary needs of relatives and relatives or the needs of another person (eg volunteering, neighborhood assistance), the provision of childcare, the care of animals, the disposal of waste;

 travel to health and social care facilities, including the provision of necessary escorts for relatives and close persons, and to veterinary care facilities;

 travel for urgent official matters, including the necessary escorts of relatives and close relatives;

 trips for - volunteering; individual spiritual care and services; veterinary care;

 journeys for the purpose of departure from the Czech Republic;

 attending a wedding, declaring that they are entering into a registered partnership together, and a funeral, of no more than 15 persons, and visits to the cemetery;

 journey to participate in education, including internships and examinations;

 travel for election to the bodies of health insurance companies;

 participation in an authorized assembly.

Clearly, the current restrictions are also processed in the table of the Ministry of the Interior here - at the bottom of the page as the Rules for entry of persons into the territory of the Czech Republic according to the protective measure of the Ministry of Health.

In case of any questions about the above, we of course remain available to you.