Employers must put in place a snap work-from-home regime if there are three or more Covid-19 cases at the same work place within a period of seven consecutive days starting Sep. 22, 2021.

This revised guidelines by the Ministry of Manpower on “snap” WFH regime was announced on Sep. 20.

A series of three Covid-19 cases "may be indicative of workplace transmission", said the revised guidelines.

The current rules require just one positive Covid-19 case for the arrangement to be implemented.

The measures have been changed to “mitigate potential disruptions to businesses”, the news release said.

The measures were announced earlier in September 2021.

Shorter duration

The work-from-home duration will also be shortened from 14 to 10 days.

WFH arrangements will start the day after the test result of the third employee comes up positive.

MOM added this is in line with the quarantine period reduction for close contacts of Covid-positive cases previously announced by the Ministry of Health.

Can still return to workplace

However, affected workers will still be able to return to the workplace for ad-hoc reasons if they test negative for Covid-19 using an Antigen Rapid Test (ART) during the WFH period.

This measure also applies to on-site contractors and vendors.

The test must not be more than 24 hours before the end of their ad-hoc return to the workplace, the ministry said.

Self-isolate if necessary

Employers and employees are to exercise social responsibility by self-isolating if they are known to be close contacts of positive Covid-19 cases, MOM added.

Affected employees are urged to administer ART self-swabs at least twice a week during the 10-day period, as well as before they return to the workplace, MOM said.

Areas where confirmed cases had worked should be vacated and cordoned off with deep cleaning activated.

Companies should also ensure that no more than 50 per cent of employees who are able to work from home are at the workplace at any given time.

The workplace should also not host social gatherings, and a safe distance of at least 1m is observed.