Portugal: telework to be mandatory for employees in post-holiday period between 02-09 January 2022

On 20 November and facing a resurgence in the Covid-19 epidemic right across the country, Portugal’s government presented a series of reinforced measurestaken in the Council of Ministers as part of the new state of emergency. These measures include the compulsory wearing of masks in the workplace, ‘except for isolated positions where there is physical separation between workstations.’ While remote working is currently only a recommendation, the government has announced that schools will be closed between 02 and 09 January 2021, and teleworking will be compulsory in order to avoid the transmission of Covid-19 after the holiday period. The Ministry of Labour explained that family support, which was paid during previous lockdown periods will be reactivated during these dates. The costs of support will be shared between companies (one third of the amount) and the Social Security (compensated by state budget funds). The new measures also provide for ‘the possibility for companies whose business is closed to have immediate access to the Support for Progressive Recovery scheme (Apoio à retoma progressiva)’, which aims to support the maintenance of workstations, and benefit from the ‘postponement of quarterly VAT payments until 30 November, with the possibility of payment in 3 to 6 instalments without interest, and of Social Security payments in 3 or 6 instalments also without interest.’