Public life is slowly returning to normality in Germany as stores, restaurants and cafes begin to  reopen. However, a return to ”business as usual“ seems a long way off. Companies and employers need to consider different priorities and complex provisions when preparing the return to the workplace.

In general, employers have a duty to take reasonable care of the health and safety of their employees. They have to assess possible risks to employees’ safety and health and take measures based on this assessment as well as identify and take additional measures where necessary to ensure the workplace is safe.

The legal principles

All employees are granted a right to benefit from access to professional training in the course of their employment. In this respect, the French Labour Code states that the employer must ensure the employees’ adaptation to their job position and must secure the maintenance of the employees’ capacity to perform their tasks,