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LAST UPDATE | 22 Oct 2021
THE GOVERNMENT HAS updated the Work Safely Protocol to take into account changes to its reopening plan unveiled this week.
In August, it was announced that from today — 22 October — the advice for people to ‘work from home, where possible’ would be removed from the Government’s Work Safely Protocol, allowing for a more substantial return to offices.
But based on advice from the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) about the current public health situation, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar announced on Tuesday that the remote working guidance would remain in place.
Since late September, workers have, however, been able to return to the workplaces for “specific business requirements” on a “phased and staggered basis”.
This can continue under the new guidance.
Employers are still required to maintain the five main prevention and control measures.
“That’s the isolation of symptomatic people; face coverings; ventilation; maintaining social distancing, where appropriate; and covering coughs and sneezes and keeping hands clean,” Karen Killalea, partner and head of the employment team at law firm Maples and Calder, told The Journal.
According to the revised document, “a cautious and careful return to workplaces” should take into account:
Each workplace will still be required to nominate a lead worker representative “to work with the employer to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in the workplace”, according to the document.
The revised Protocol can be read here.
Full-scale return
The Government’s decision to keep the work from home advice in place after today means that many employers will have to delay plans to return to the office, likely until “next spring”, Varadkar said.
On Tuesday, Varadkar said, “Essentially, what we’re saying is that a staggered return to workplaces and the office is possible. So people can go back to the office for a specific business purpose — a meeting or training, for example, or inductions.”
Despite the Tánaiste’s examples — which were “helpful”, Killalea said — employers will want “clarification around what exactly is envisaged by ‘specific business purposes”.
Does that actually mean they need to continue with only ad hoc attendance at the office or is an employer within their rights to say, ‘Actually, I need this team back —not for a particular project or for a particular meeting or for a training schedule — I just need them back because I feel we need, after a year and a half of working from home, for everybody to be working together and collaborating.’
Amid a rise in Covid infections in recent weeks, trade unions and employer group IBEC welcomed the Government’s decision.
“Continuing with the staggered and phased return to the office is the right decision given current levels of transmission and hospitalisation, and the strain our healthcare workforce is under after 20 months of incessant demand on them,” said Patricia King, General Secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.
“This seems the most sensible approach to adopt with rising numbers of Covid in the community,” a spokesperson for the Financial Services Union told The Journal.
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The majority of people I know working from home don’t want to go back to their office. Less stress getting to work, falling out of bed 10min before signing in and not having to deal with public transport or 3hrs wasted in traffic a day. Is it any wonder employers are frustrated.
@tottkingham: I’m one of them, if my work wanted me back in the office I’d be looking for a new job
@tottkingham: a riot almost started on teams 3 weeks ago when it was mentioned. U have mgt talking about prepandemic times and we must return. Meanwhile 60 people shouted its 2000 cases a day and out vaccines are less and less effective as the days pass.
Needless to say, the return is pushed out to late spring next yr
@RJ: Vaccines are less and less effective as the day passes” any links or evidence to prove this?
@Danny O’Riordan: RJ: “The sky is blue”. Danny: “Any links or evidence to prove this?”.
Here’s the top Google result for “vaccines waning”
@Danny O’Riordan: jesus lad, not alone do some people need pulling away from fake news, but those in the neutral need to be directed to facts.
Pfizer themselves know this. Here’s one word to help you, Booster.
@Danny O’Riordan: Danny that’s well documented that the vacine protection weakens over time particularly those over 60s so no need to question the man, do a bit of research.
@Thomas Smyth: From the very article you posted:
“What remains unclear, however, is to what degree the immune system’s safeguards that protect vaccinated people against severe disease, hospitalization and death might be fading as well. “That,” says Davenport, “is the million-dollar question at the moment.””
” ‘Neutralizing’ antibodies that can intercept viruses before they infiltrate cells might not have much staying power. Levels of these molecules typically shoot up after vaccination, then quickly taper off months later. “That’s how vaccines work,” Doria-Rose says.
But cellular immune responses are longer lasting”
Might wanna actually read the article before you have a smartass go at someone on the Internet. Easier to just talk shïte at someone asking a question when you’re that fookin lazy though, I guess.
@RJ: Pfizer are kinda (literally) invested in you getting a booster though, don’t you think? Is the Nature link above fake news as well? Ffs lads…
@Neil Feirtèir: Antibodies wane over time. Protection not necessarily. Boosters may be required in older cohorts, but not younger ones. Maybe if you actually asked more questions or did research you’d know.
Its not really confusing. He gave examples, specific meeting or training. Brining staff back because a manager is lonely and needs friends is not a reason lads. I think most offices have made accommodations for anyone who needs to be in an office for one reason or another. Please leave the rest of us alone, we’re happy to be at home, we are productive, we have keep these companies running while wfh for almost two years, leave us at it please.
If people are fully vaccinated what is the risk of them going back into the office?
None of this BS from Tesco or Supervalu staff.
@Richard Right: fully vaccinated can still catch and transmit Covid.
@Sean: Especially since the effectiveness of the most-received vaccine declines over such a short time.
@Richard Right: they’re not fully vaccinated, that’s the problem. We have about 25 on our floor and 5 or 6 are not vaccinated because they don’t believe in it.
@Sean: So what’s the point of vaccine passports?
@Richard Right: I’m pretty sure a shelf stacker in Tesco can’t stack the shelves from their home office ..
@Richard Right: they’re less likely to catch and transmit, never said it was impossible
Never worked from home, never will, home is where I go to get away from work, like your wife and your girlfriend, they should never meet, lol
@Tom Bombdadil: I know the feeling, when I go back to the office I’ll probably have to throw the girlfriend out too, it’s been very stressful with both of them here the last 18 months.
it’s clear do your part and wfh if you can. offices that want staff to return seem to think we have defeted the virus because they got a vaccine-
as part of climate change working from home will be a new norm.
if your unable to motivate yourself and do your job remotely maybe the role is not for you.
as part of building back better we will over time be making our local communities better and hopefully living local.
Ah lads, in happy out here at home. Thanks anyway
I’ve just bought a new house and spent €1,000 kitting out the home office I’m staying here as long as I can lol. But happy that our company are doing a hybrid model I am looking forward to our first team meeting and fighting over the microwave for 2 days a week.
Quite a confusing headline there
And few batted an eye for the staff working in supermarkets & shop retail when they were the most likely to catch covid.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thejournal.ie/shop-retail-workers-covid-19-pandemic-risk-5563108-Oct2021/%3famp=1
Running a training course with social distancing and masks is a non runner.
have your say