Covid-19 in Austria: 3-G Rule at Work as of Nov. 1 - In-Company Tests Remain Free of Charge
Both employers and employees in Austria will only be allowed to enter their workplace after Nov. 1, 2021, if they have been vaccinated, have recovered in the past six months or have recently been tested.
The "3-G rule" (vaccinated, recovered in the past six months or recently tested) at the workplace is being introduced. / Picture: © Wikimedia Commons / U.S. Centers for Disease Control, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The "3-G rule" (vaccinated, recovered in the last six months, or recently tested) will be implemented in the workplace starting Nov. 1, i.e. when coming into contact with other people on the job.
While until recently there was a threat of the resolution being delayed by a veto from the opposition in the Upper House (Bundesrat), the parties have now reached an agreement.
The Social Democratic Party (SPÖ) will not block the bill. In return, in-company tests will continue to be free of charge for everyone.
Continued funding of in-company tests to be enshrined in law in next National Council session
In the next few days, it is also expected that the exact framework for the 3-G rule in the workplace will be established.
The Social Democratic Party (SPÖ) parliamentary club declares the agreement an "important success for employees"
"The SPÖ's pressure has paid off," say SPÖ deputy club leader Jörg Leichtfried and SPÖ parliamentary group leader in the Bundesrat Korinna Schumann on today's agreement with the government parliamentary groups, with which the SPÖ has pushed through further funding for workplace testing.
"The SPÖ is in favor of the 3G rule in the workplace. But you can't be in favor of 3G at the workplace and at the same time cancel the company free tests, as the government originally wanted - that would be politics on the backs of the employees."
The fact that the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) and the Greens have now relented and agreed to continue financing workplace testing in the next session of the National Council is an important success for employees and fully in line with the fight against the pandemic," Leichtfried said happily.
In a joint motion of the Social Democratic Party (SPÖ) with the government factions in the Federal Council, it is stated that company tests will continue to be financed in the same way as the tests in the test lanes of the federal states and that this will also be anchored in law in the next National Council session.
FPÖ - Kickl about 3G at the workplace: "Turkish-Green government is a disgrace to the rule of law"
In view of the agreement reached by the Turkish-Green coalition with the Social Democratic Party (SPÖ), Freedom Party (FPÖ) federal party chairman Herbert Kickl reiterated his strict rejection of a 3G regime in the workplace: "The government is acting completely free of evidence and is a stain on the rule of law. The right to equal treatment, to freedom of employment, physical integrity, privacy, etc. continues to be trampled under the guise of Corona - and by the very people who hypocritically condemn human rights violations in other countries."