The amendment on vaccinations has been passed – What it provides for

With the positive vote of NW and of KINAL, was passed by the plenary session the amendment of the Ministry of Health for the demonstration by employees of the vaccine certificate ή sickness certificate to their employers, and of compulsory vaccination for health and welfare carers. Against the amendment, SYRIZA, KKE, Hellenic Solution and MERA25.

The amendment establishes that by 31/12/2021, public and private sector employees are required to present to the competent management body or their employer either their digital vaccination certificate or a certificate of sickness or a positive diagnostic test certificate. These certificates or attestations will have to be verified by the employer through the dedicated platform.

It was also established that all staff (medical, paramedical, nursing, administrative and support staff) of all private, public and municipal care facilities for the elderly, people with disabilities, private and public health care facilities (diagnostic centres, rehabilitation centres, clinics, hospitals, primary health care facilities, in-patient care facilities and EODYs) and all staff of the EHIC should be vaccinated against Covid-19 as a matter of urgency for the protection of public health.

Those who have been ill for a period of six months since their illness and those who have proven health reasons that prevent them from being vaccinated are exempt from vaccination. The reasons for an employee's exemption from vaccination must be certified by three-member committees of the relevant health district and which will consist of NHS doctors.

The employer of care facilities for the elderly, people with disabilities, boarding schools, chronic disease care, CHCs, CDCs and SYDs is required to inform the employees who are required to be vaccinated and they must make the first or only dose (if vaccinated with a single dose) by August 16, 2021 and then complete the procedure according to the vaccination cycle.

The medical, paramedical, nursing, administrative and support staff of private and public health centres (diagnostic centres, rehabilitation centres, clinics, hospitals, primary and secondary health care structures, inpatient units, the Greek National Health Service (EKAB) and the Greek National Health Service (EODY)) must have received the first or the only dose by 1 September 2021.

In any other case, the employer is obliged to refuse to accept the provision of the employee's work and will be exempted from the obligation to pay wages for the period during which the employee does not provide work due to the application of the law. According to the amendment, this measure will also apply to employees with project contracts, independent service contracts and dependent employment contracts of borrowed personnel or personnel contracted with a contractor.

The employer shall be given the possibility to replace those employees who will be placed on suspension by being able to recruit staff on a private fixed-term contract.

For an employer who employs staff who should be vaccinated or have a certificate of infection, the amendment introduces an administrative fine of €10,000 for each infringement, with a maximum of €50,000. In cases of recidivism, the administrative fine will be EUR 20 000 per infringement and may reach up to EUR 200 000.

The amendment has given the Minister of Health the authority to extend the sectors where vaccination will be mandatory depending on the progress of the pandemic and the needs to deal with it.