Several cities across China have adopted epidemic control and prevention measures to contain the new variant of COVID-19 omicron. With employees quarantined for medical observation during such measures, employers should adhere to labour obligations so that labour disputes are reduced. We provide a Q&A on employer obligations when employees are quarantined and during the epidemic control and prevention period – such as a lockdown.
- What is the salary obligation for quarantined employees?
Quarantined employees providing normal work in quarantine or under other emergency measures taken by the government based on epidemic prevention and control shall be treated as normal attendance and paid normal renumeration.
According to the notice on properly handling the labor relations during the prevention and control of pneumonia infected by novel coronavirus (the "Notice") issued by the general office of the Ministry of human resources and social security, infected or suspected employees suspected employees deemed as close contact and cannot provide normal work during quarantine or medical observation, or due to the implementation of isolation measures or other emergency measures by the government, shall be treated as normal attendance and paid normal renumeration.
For employers, the Notice suggests that employers negotiate with the employee to treated the period as annual leave or rest days. If negotiations are not established, the employer can implement the overall arrangements according to the annual leave of the isolated employees according to law.
- What if my enterprise faces difficulties in production and operation due to the impact of the epidemic measures?
Under the Notice, the enterprise may adjust the salary, rotate the post and rest, shorten the working hours and so forth through consultation with the employees.
If the enterprise is shutdown within a wage payment cycle, the enterprise shall still pay the wages of employees according to the standards stipulated in the labor contract.
If the employee is still unable to provide normal work beyond one wage payment cycle, the enterprise shall pay living expenses, and the standard of living expenses shall be implemented in accordance with the measures of the provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government.
- What if employee's labour contract expires during quarantine?
In the event that the employee's labor contract expires during quarantine, the date shall be postponed till the employee finishes the quarantine or medical observation period.
- How to determine the arbitration statutory limitation during epidemic measures?
Under, the Labor Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Law of the people's Republic of China the statutory limitation for application of labour disputes arbitration is limited to one year ('the period'). The period shall be calculated from the date the parties recognise or should recognise the infringement of rights. However, if the parties are unable to apply for arbitration within the period due to force majeure or other justified reasons such as epidemic measures, the period shall be suspended and the period shall be recalculated from the date the force majeure or other justified reasons finishes.
Equally, If the labor and personnel dispute arbitration institution cannot hear the case within the period due to the impact of the epidemic measures, the hearing time limit may be postponed accordingly.
因疫情管控所涉及的劳动用工问题
自2022年3月以来，上海因疫情的蔓延逐步提升了防控等级以及一系列的封控措施，自3月17日起，上海实施了分区块管控措施，对居民小区、商务楼宇、工业园区、商场等场所进行为期"2天"、"2+12天"或"14天"等闭环管理或隔离措施。而该管控措施给用人单位的劳动关系及管理带来了难题，本文就其中涉及的部分问题进行浅议为用人单位规范用工及管理提供参考意见。
- 因被隔离未出勤的认定
员工因政府基于疫情防控需要，实施隔离措施或采取其他紧急措施导致不能提供正常劳动的劳动者，应按照正常出勤处理。
根据劳动法律法规和人力资源社会保障部办公厅《关于妥善处理新型冠状病毒感染的肺炎疫情防控期间劳动关系问题的通知》（"通知"）规定，对新型冠状病毒感染的肺炎患者、疑似病人、密切接触者在其隔离治疗期间或医学观察期间以及因政府实施隔离措施或采取其他紧急措施导致不能提供正常劳动的企业职工，虽未能为用人单位提供劳动义务，而在采取以上特别措施期间视为劳动者正常出勤。
- 隔离期间的劳动报酬
企业要求其闭环隔离中的员工居家办公的，企业应当按照劳动者正常出勤情况下的工资标准支付该期间内的工作报酬。
对于在隔离治疗期间或医学观察期间以及因政府实施隔离措施或采取其他紧急措施导致不能提供正常劳动的劳动者，根据第一条所述，在以上采取特别措施期间应视为劳动者正常出勤，故企业应当按照劳动者正常出勤情况下的工资标准支付该期间内的工作报酬。
若员工被隔离的，对于隔离期间的处理，建议可先行通过协商方式就将劳动者隔离期间或部分隔离期间的时间以年休假或以休息日换休的方式处理，若无法达成一致的，用人单位依法可根据被隔离员工的年休假统筹进行安排。
根据通知的规定，企业因受疫情影响导致生产经营困难的，可以通过与职工协商一致采取调整薪酬、轮岗轮休、缩短工时等方式调整。企业停工停产在一个工资支付周期内的，企业仍应按劳动合同规定的标准支付职工工资；超过一个工资支付周期的，若职工仍无法提供正常劳动的，企业应当发放生活费，生活费标准按各省、自治区、直辖市规定的办法执行。
- 被隔离期间的劳动合同终止的处理
根据通知规定，对新型冠状病毒感染的肺炎患者、疑似病人、密切接触者在其隔离治疗期间或医学观察期间以及因政府实施隔离措施或采取其他紧急措施导致不能提供正常劳动的企业职工，若在此期间，员工劳动合同到期的，应分别顺延至职工医疗期期满、医学观察期期满、隔离期期满或者政府采取的紧急措施结束。
- 仲裁时效的认定
在当事人被隔离期间的仲裁时效应中止，待中止原因消除后，仲裁时效继续计算。
中华人民共和国劳动争议调解仲裁法规定，劳动争议申请仲裁的时效期间为一年。仲裁时效期间从当事人知道或者应当知道其权利被侵害之日起计算。但因不可抗力或者有其他正当理由，当事人不能在上述规定的仲裁时效期间申请仲裁的，仲裁时效中止。从中止时效的原因消除之日起，仲裁时效期间继续计算。
根据通知的规定，因受疫情影响造成当事人不能在法定仲裁时效期间申请劳动人事争议仲裁的，仲裁时效中止。从中止时效的原因消除之日起，仲裁时效期间继续计算。因受疫情影响导致劳动人事争议仲裁机构难以按法定时限审理案件的，可相应顺延审理期限。
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
