COVID and the workplace: testing and vaccination

Charity employers are probably aware that the Government has recently expanded support for workplace testing for coronavirus, which is now available to employers with more than 50 employees – having initially been available to employers with more than 250 employees.

The aim of rapid workplace testing is to find and then isolate positive cases of asymptomatic individuals who would not have been identified by other test and trace measures, which rely primarily on testing symptomatic individuals.

It does not replace the need to adhere to Covid-secure guidelines for the relevant workplace setting.

For more on the type of testing, the advantages to it, whether it can be made compulsory, the data protection implications, payment of employees who are self-isolating following a workplace test, and Government support available, read our article.

For more on the legal and other challenges arising as a result of the pandemic, head over to our Coronavirus hub.