Companies return part of their staff to telework; COVID-19 infected payroll has medical permission of up to fifteen days

Javier underwent a PCR test on January 2 and tested positive for COVID-19. He lives together with his wife and son in Guayaquil. Since that date, he has been quarantining his bedroom.

The 28-year-old public worker was given ten days of medical leave that are ending today. However, in order to return to face-to-face work, a quantitative test must be carried out. Depending on the result, according to Javier, the company analyzes whether or not the telework modality is considered.

With the recent outbreak of infections in the country, public and private companies are returning to this modality, which at the beginning of the pandemic was used mostly.

In 2020 there were 443,710 teleworkers and 2021 closed with an extremely lower number: 30,920 employees. Of these, 15,312 were women and 15,608 were men, according to the Ministry of Labor.

These numbers will increase due to the measures taken by the new wave of infections. There are institutions that sent a percentage of their payroll to telework, and in other cases it is the entire.

If you have symptoms, have a positive PCR, or have been in contact with people infected with COVID-19, these medical tips will help you

For example, from the National Council of Rural Parish Governments of Ecuador (Conagopare) they have executed several guidelines. 30 people work there and all are already working from their homes, says Walther Tagle, Director of Human Talent at Conagopare Nacional.

“On January 3, we coordinate with the staff so that face-to-face activities are carried out with 50% of the required capacity. (Now) the personnel were sent to telework, they use the electronic equipment (portable) of the institution assigned to each one so that (…) the fulfillment of their functions is guaranteed ”, says Tagle and adds that tests were previously carried out PCR, according to which three workers infected results.

These are currently with medical permission granted by the Ecuadorian Institute of Social Security (IESS), ranging from twelve to fifteen days.

A similar situation occurs in the Communication Agency MC Comunicaciones. Of the 20 people who work in Quito, two tested positive for COVID-19. Also all the payroll is telecommuting.

“We have sent our collaborators their work teams home and we keep track of their health status on a daily basis,” says the General manager, Mercedes Cordova.

Regarding the two people infected with the virus, they are with medical leave of fifteen days.

The labor attorney Vannessa Velásquez highlights that the worker should not see discounts for medical leave. This because number 19 of the Article 42 of the Labor Code mentions that employers must pay the worker when they are not entitled to the benefit from the IESS 50% of their remuneration in the event of non-professional illness, for up to two months in each year, with a prior medical certificate proving the impossibility for the work or the need for rest.

What’s more, those who are absent more than three days receive a sickness allowance: from the fourth day to 70 days, the IESS pays 75% of the average of the last three salaries before the onset of the illness (25% from the employer); from the 71st to the 182 Sabbath, pay 66%. There are companies that cover the counterpart, but they are not required by law.

For workers in strategic sectors and others, the application time of the third dose against COVID-19 is advanced

Meanwhile, there are companies that remain in hybrid mode, such as Kepa Consultores, which has been doing so since last December 15. 50% of its staff is in the office and the rest at home.

One of them is infected and had a three-day medical leave. “They were given paracetamol, vitamin C, anti-inflammatory drugs, their temperature was controlled,” he says. Kevin Pabó, general manager of Kepa Consultores.

Procarsa runs the mixed modality and it will be until January 23. It keeps acquiring quick tests to perform on workers. In addition, it indicates that they carry out biosecurity controls both at entry and during the day. The payroll is evaluated through the medical dispensary.

And Acurio & Asociados, an asset appraisal company, also works in a mixed way. 34% of face-to-face workforce and 65% teleworking. Every month, they deliver KN95 masks and perform PCR tests to detect the presence of the virus on your payroll.

At the moment there are five positive cases and three with symptoms. “Our doctors monitor and deliver the prescriptions according to their needs,” says Andrés Costales, the company’s Occupational Health and Safety technician.

He mentions that from the report of symptoms there is three days of rest “to do the PCR test and if the result is positive we get up to ten days.” (I)

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and CNE in teleworking

The Ministry of Foreign Relations and Human Mobility decided yesterday to suspend the attention to the public in the Zonal Government building, in Guayaquil, due to the detection of positive cases of covid-19 among its officials.

The Zonal Directorate 8 of the Ministry switched to teleworking and temporarily suspended face-to-face care. The appointments of the services that were to be attended until January 14, 2022, including those of visas, apostilles and legalization will be rescheduled, reported through the Twitter account.

Meanwhile, the National Electoral Council (CNE) also adopted the teleworking modality since this week. 50% of the staff are from home. (I)