Employers want greater powers to ensure safe working environment

RIGA - Employers should be granted greater powers to ensure a safe working environment in the circumstances of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Latvian Employers Confederation (LDDK) says. 

If the Labor Law is inflexible in that respect, it is difficult for employers to take any action, LDDK director general Linga Mengelsone said in an interview with Latvian Television on Tuesday. 

LDDK is therefore calling on lawmakers to amend the Labor Law so that employers could suspend unvaccinated employees where necessary and take other measures to ensure a safe working environment. Sacking should also be made possible as the last resort measure. 

Mengelsone noted that for the time being the employers have not managed to reached an agreement with the Welfare Ministry on these issues. 

She underlined that only those who have taken the Covid-19 jab or recovered from the virus can help eradicate the pandemic but that the mandatory testing can only be a temporary solution. 

As reported, the government is going to decide on a new Covid-19 management regulation on Tuesday, Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins (New Unity) revealed following the weekly coalition meeting on Monday. The prime minister said that amendments to Cabinet Regulation No 360 will make the Covid-19 rules tougher in three particular areas.

The new rules are expected to make vaccination against Covid-19 mandatory for employees in the health, education and social care sector.