The coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic is causing difficult and complex issues for businesses, large and small. We are here to help. On this page, you will find summaries of our alerts on the legal consequences of the pandemic, allowing you to respond quickly and adapt to current developments. You can also contact us for a more detailed consultation at any time.

Measures adopted in the Czech Republic

Labor Law relations

Armed conflict caused by the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation (1.3.2022)

• Call-up orders
• Residence permits, possibility to work
• Termination of compre-hensive testing of employees
• Indoor respiratory protection

Testing in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic (7.1.2022)

• Frequency of testing
• Range of persons concerned
• Refusal of testing
• Registration and notification obligations
• Obligations in case of a positive result
• Termination of quarantine
• Suspend Antivirus B mode

Antivirus Programme Extension (8.12.2021)

• Mode A
• Mode B
• Antivirus will be valid until 30 June 2022
• Reintroduction of the crisis care allowance
• The return of the isolation allownance
• Minimum wage increase

New measures to prevent the spread of COVID–19 (22.10.2021)

• Wearing of respiratory protective equipment
• Changes from Monday, October 25, 2021, from 0:00
• Other measures, that will affect some operations
• Changes from Monday, November 1, 2021 from 0:00
• Return of an employee from abroad
• New rules for tests and their payment

“Kurzarbeit” approval (28.6.2021)

• Extension of the Antivirus A program until 30 June 2021
• Obligation to wear respiratory protection in the workplace
• Measured connected to the border crossing
• Restrictions concerning the entry to the workplace
• The end of the mandatory testing

Labour Law measures in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic Mandatory staff testing (2.3.2021)

• Self-testing carried out by employees – positive result procedure
• Securement of respiratory protection equipment
• Pre-recruitment and periodic medical ex-aminations
• Extension of the Antivirus program

Measures related to border crossings (10.2.2021)

• Restrictions related to entry to the workplace
• Vaccination against COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2
• What does the vaccination option mean for employers?
• Leave and compensation of wages
• Can employees be ordered to be vaccinated?

Labour law measures in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic (26.1.2021)

• Extention of the Antivirus program
• Reintroduction of sworn statement in-stead of initial medical examinations
• Border crossing measures
• Obligation of notification

Labour law measures in connection with a state of emergency (29.10.2020)

• Antivirus B program extended
• Home office
• Occupational health examinations

Extension of Regime A of the Antivirus Program (15.10.2020)

• Czech equivalent of „Kurzarbeit“
• What and why should be changed?
• What will part-time employment be about?
• Conditions for the entitlement

Extension of Program ANTIVIRUS A a B (7.9.2020)

• Regime A
• Regime B
• Extension of visas for foreigners
• “Orientations” of the European Data Protection Supervisor

Extension of the ANTIVIRUS; programme, waiver of social security contributions (ANTIVIRUS C); nursing allowance and shortening of the eight-day reporting period before the District Social Security Administration (DSSA) (28.5.2020)

• EXTENSION OF THE ANTIVIRUS PROGRAMME
• WAIVER OF SOCIAL SECURITY PREMIUMS (ANTIVIRUS C) AND REDUCTION IN PENALTIES
• SHORTENING OF THE DEADLINE FOR REPORTING TO DSSA
• NURSING ALLOWANCE UNTIL THE END OF JUNE

End of state of emergency and occupational health checks (14.5.2020)

• Entry and periodic check-ups as of 14 May 2020
• Prolongation of validity of medical certificates and affidavits after the end of the state of emergency

Running Antivirus program (6.4.2020)

• As of 6 April 2020, employers may claim a contribution under the Antivirus program  for  wages/salary compensation paid to their employees under the Antivirus program. Applications (including subsequent billing of the required wage/salary compensation for individual months) are completed via the web application of the Labour Office of the Czech Republic.

Conditions for drawing from the Antivirus program (1.4.2020)

• Regime A (includes former A and B)
• Regime B
• Procedure for obtaining the contribution from the Antivirus programme
• Conditions for drawing the contribution

Other measures adopted at the government meeting of 23 March 2020 (25.3.2020)

• Retail Restrictions
• Further impact of government resolutions
• Cross-border workers commuting to Germany and Austria
• Medical staff and holiday
• Remission of advance payments for self-employed persons
• Tax concessions

Assistance for persons affected by crisis measures in connection with coronavirus SARS CoV-2 – II. (23.3.2020)

• Antivirus program: Wage compensation support
• Regime A – compulsory employee quarantine
• Regime B – businesses ordered to close
• Regime C – paralysis of business operations due to a lack of employess
• Regime D – restrictions on the availablity of employees
• Regime E – reduced demand for services and product sales

Assistance for persons affected by crisis measures in connection with coronavirus SARS CoV-2 – I. (20.3.2020)

• Support for employers in the payment of wage compensation
• Cross-border workers and foreigners
• Nursing benefit for employees
• Financial contribution for self – employed persons
• Interest-free loans

Emergency measures and their impact on labour relations (3.2020)

• Closure of Establishments
• Health checks and work permits and residence permits of employees of selected employers
• Prohibition of taking holidays for medical professions
• Mandatory quarantine

Coronavirus and employment relations – Employer’s precautionary measures (3.2020)

• Obligations of an employee who has returned from an area affected by coronavirus or who has been possibly in contact with an infected person
• Employee with coronavirus symptoms
• Employee without coronavirus symptoms
• Employer’s instruments

JUDr. Anna Bartůňková Managing Associate Tel.: +420 225 385 432 Email: anna.bartunkova@weinholdlegal.com

JUDr. Eva Procházková Ph.D. Senior Associate Tel.: +420 225 385 390 Email: eva.prochazkova@weinholdlegal.com

Mgr. Daša Aradská Senior Associate Tel.: +420 225 385 112 Email: dasa.aradska@weinholdlegal.com

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Contractual relations

Ministry of Industry and Trade’s third invitation under the „COVID – Rent“ Program (20.1.2021)

• Basics of the program
• Subjects qualified for the aid
• The amount of aid
• Differences from previous rounds

Program COVID – Gastro – Closed business premises (12.1.2021)

• Purpose of the program
• Basics of the program
• Subjects qualified for the aid
• The purpose and amount of aid

Call for applications regarding „ COVID – Rent “ Program (26.6.2020)

• Applying for support
• Basic parameters and terms
• Procedure for provision of support
• Follow-up inspections and detec-tion of violations of the rules

Program – “COVID – Rent” (22.5.2020)

• The current state of the program
• Support, its subject and conditions
• Application for support and its evaluation
• Provision of the support

Legal regulation of real estate leases in connection with the coronavirus pandemic (23.4.2020)

• Commercial real estate leases
• Residential real estate lease

Activities of competition authorities in the European Union during the coronavirus crisis (9.4.2020)

• European Union
• Czech Republic
• Slovak Republic

Legislative bills for changes in legal regulations for repayment of loans and property rents (3.4.2020)

• Repayment of loans
• General loans arrangements
• Consumer Credit Act
• Rental of commercial real estate
• Rental of residential real estate

State of emergency and public procurement (2.9.2020)

• Ongoing procurement procedures
• Deadlines in the procurement procedure
• Procurement procedure
• Performance of existing contracts
• Change in contractual obligation

Lex covid – proposals for changes in insolvency law and corporate law (1.4.2020)

• Changes in insolvency law
• Changes in the Enforcement Code
• Waiver of missed time limits in court proceedings
• Crisis measures concerning the functioning of commercial corporations

Coronavirus and its impact on contractual relations – Business should identify at risk contracts (20.3.2020)

• Force majeure regulated in the contract
• Release from the duty to provide compensation (force majeure regulated by the Civil Code)
• Substantial change in circumstances
• Subsequent impossibility of performance
• Fixed obligations – Recommendations

JUDr. Zbyšek Kordač, LL.M. et LL.M. Of Counsel Tel.: +420 225 385 692 Email: zbysek.kordac@weinholdlegal.com

JUDr. Ing. Václav Štraser Managing Associate Tel.: +420 225 385 268 Email: vaclav.straser@weinholdlegal.com

Mgr. Tomáš Čermák Managing Associate Tel.: +420 724 060 315 Email: tomas.cermak@weinholdlegal.com

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Compensation

Ministry of the Interior prepared an amendment to the crisis act. We bring you a brief summary of the possible changes. (20.10.2020)

The amendemnt to the act No. 240/2000 Coll., on Crisis Management and on amendments of certain acts.

State of emergency and its consequences (3.2020)

• Limitation of rights and imposition of obligations
• Right and obligations of legal and natural persons

JUDr. Zbyšek Kordač, LL.M. et LL.M.

Of Counsel

Tel.: +420 225 385 692
Email: zbysek.kordac@weinholdlegal.com

Measures adopted in Slovakia

Current residence and employment conditions of Ukrainian and third-country citizens on the territory of the Slovak Republic (23.3.2022)

• Conditions for provision of and rights under temporary refuge status
• Further possibilities of employment of Ukrainian citizens on the territory of the Slovak Republic and related employers information obligations
• Draft Act on Additional Measures
• Measures related to COVID-19

Pandemic measures: Changes for employers and business establishments (26.11.2021)

• Home working
• Obligation to cover the upper respiratory tract
• Temporary measures for the entry of em-ployees to workplace and other premises of the employer
• Restriction on business establishments

State subsidies during the Coronavirus pandemic second wave (9.7.2021)

• Tourism support
• Rental subsidy
• First Aid +

LEGAL REGULATION ON TEMPORARY PROTECTION OF ENTREPRENEURS AND OTHER SUPPORT (23.2.2021)

• TEMPORARY PROTECTION
• SMALL BANKRUPTCY

FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR TOURISM AND RENT SUBSIDY CONNECTED TO THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC SECOND WAVE (3.12.2020)

• FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF TOURISM
• LEASE SUBSIDY

SUBSIDIES FOR RENT PAYMENT, SUPPLEMENT OF TEMPORARY PROTECTION AND AMENDMENT TO THE LABOR CODE (16.6.2020)

• SUBSIDY FOR RENT PAYMENT, SUPPLEMENT OF TEMPORARY PROTECTION
• AMENDMENT TO THE LABOUR CODE

TEMPORARY PROTECTION OF ENTRE-PRENEURS AND OTHER SUPPORT (24.4.2020)

• TEMPORARY PROTECTION
• DEFERRAL OF CREDIT PAYMENT

EMPLOYMENT PROMOTION PROJECT DURING CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC (6.4.2020)

• SUPPORT OF THE EMPLOYERS WHO STOPPED BUSINESS OPERATIONS (MEASURE 1)
• SUPPORT OF EMPLOYERS AND SELF-EM-PLOYED PERSONS WHOSE TURNOVER HAS DECREASED (MEASURE 2)

AMENDMENT OF THE LABOUR CODE AND OTHER LAWS IN RELATION TO THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC IN SLOVAKIA (2.4.2020)

• AMENDMENT OF THE LABER CODE AND RELATED LAWS
• AMENDMENT OF LAWS WITHIN THE COMPETENCE OF THE MINISTRY OF INTERIOR OF THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC

Impact of Coronavirus pandemic and extraordinary measures of the Slovak Government on business relations (26.3.2020)

• Force majeure regulated in the contract
• Circumstances excluding liability (“Force Majeure“ regulated by the Civil Code)
• Subsequent impossibility of performance
• Fixed obligations
• Recommendations
• News

Current measures related to the spread of COVID-19 in Slovakia (3.2020)

• DECLARATION OF A STATE OF EMERGENCY BY THE GOVERNMENT OF THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC
• MEASURES OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICE OF THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC
• Measure on domestic isolation of persons returning from abroad
• Closure of retail establishments, service establishments and ordered isolation of groups of persons

Slovak Government Special measures and employer options (3.2020)

• Lower wages/salary reimbursement in the event of another obstacle on the part of the employer
• Collective holiday
• Compensatory leave taking
• Use of working time account
• Work from home
• Obstacles for reasons of general interest

Mgr. Tomáš Čermák Managing Associate Tel.: +420 724 060 315 Email: tomas.cermak@weinholdlegal.com

JUDr. Karin Konečná Senior Associate Tel.: +420 727 879 706 Email: karin.konecna@weinholdlegal.com