Subject to ratification by Stormont Ministers on July 22nd, more COVID-19 restrictions may ease in Northern Ireland on July 26th.
Should the changes be given the green light, indoor social distancing rules will decrease from two metres to one metre. The mandatory wearing of face masks in places of worship and classrooms will cease, and more people will be allowed to meet at a private household or garden.
Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill said this was a "cautious approach" to reopening and that the Executive took decisions based on the data in Northern Ireland.
By and large, this is all really welcome news.
As an employer though, a regime that allows more flexibility and choice can prove complicated. Why? Because having set rules about what you can and cannot do, as happened during the height of the pandemic, at least means it's really clear how the land lies.
We're moving into a period as we come out of this difficult time when the goalposts have shifted, and more questions will inevitably arise.
Can I insist my employees are vaccinated? Do they still have to wear masks on the premises? What if I want them to wear masks? What if I absolutely don't want them to wear masks? What if I want to continue using the QR system? Can I insist they come back to the office or workplace? What happens if I have vulnerable staff? What happens if I have vulnerable customers? Can people travel abroad for work if they're fully vaccinated? Do I still need the same protections in place for my customers? What about social distancing? Screens? Sanitisers?...
These are just some of the questions that come to mind without even thinking too hard about it. And employers will need to have the answers as the restrictions begin to ease.
As an employer, there will be an increasing level of personal and professional responsibility to keep your staff safe without the fallback of things like the furlough scheme. Getting the balance right between driving your business forward after this lean period whilst keeping your staff safe and well will be a hard one to strike.
More than ever, you need to get the right advice. It's really simple to do so and it's really important. At Peninsula, we can hold your hand every single step of the way as we guide you through this transitional phase back to, let's hope, some sort of normality. There are so many minefields for employers at the moment as the restrictions ease both in terms of employment law and health & safety. Peninsula can help with all these questions.
Our VaccTrak tool allows you to monitor who's been vaccinated as you bring people back to the workplace.
And many employees are struggling with the idea of getting back to work and being in a group environment again, which our Health Assured team can help with.
There are so many ways we can help and as an employer, it has never been more important to check you're adhering to the requirements. It's been a period of massive change and it will be just as challenging in different ways as we move towards a more normal way of operating.
So if you need help on employment law, health & safety, or employee wellbeing, call 0800 917 0771. Our experts will guide you with whatever questions you have and make sure you navigate the coming weeks effectively.
