" What are the heightened safe distancing measures for workplaces during the circuit breaker period? "
Workplaces, except for those in essential services and key economic sectors, will be closed
With the announcement of the COVID-19 Circuit Breaker, there are now heightened safe-distancing measures in place to reduce movement.
Included in these measures is the suspension of activities at most workplace premises.
The suspension will be in effect from 7 April 2020 until 4 May 2020, but this may be extended if necessary.
Essential Services and their related supply chains are exempted from the suspension.
Essential services include those involved in the provision of food and essential health items to the public.
Food suppliers (including food manufacturing, food processing, and food caterers), food retail (including supermarkets, convenience stores, wet markets), and food & beverages outlets (including restaurants, hawker centres, coffeeshops and food courts), and pharmacies will remain open.
However, F&B outlets can only offer take-away and deliveries only; no dining in is allowed.
For the full list of essential services, click here.
These businesses are required to submit details of their plans to operate with enhanced safe distancing measures in place at https://covid.gobusiness.gov.sg by end of 13 Apr
“ We have decided that instead of tightening incrementally over the next few weeks, we should make a decisive move now, to pre-empt escalating infections. ” -Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
All other business, social, or other activities that cannot be conducted through working from home shall be suspended.
Non-essential entities that are able to continue to operate their businesses (in limited or full capacity) with their employees working from home should continue to do so.
MOM officers will begin enforcement operations from 7 April to ensure that only businesses who are exempted from the suspension are operating from their workplace premises.
For entities providing essential services
All activities that can take place through telecommuting must be done from home.
For workplaces that need to be open, employers must implement safe distancing measures to reduce physical interactions by:
Reducing the need for and duration of physical interactions;
Staggering working hours;
Postponing all group events ; and
Implementing shift work and/or split team arrangements
For employers with affected workers:
For employees who cannot work from home or at their workplace premises, employers should work out with them clear salary and leave arrangements.
”One thing we can be sure of is that we will get through this together. We will stand with workers as well as businesses.“ - Minister for Manpower, Josephine Teo
Such arrangements should take into consideration the government support for wages and any subsidies for training. More on support for businesses here, and support for workers here.
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