Workers' rights

As European nations start shutting down significant portions of their economies to contain or delay the spread of COVID-19, questions are being posed about the impact on workers.

On a scale unseen before, staff across the continent are being urged to stay away from work for two weeks if they have reason to suspect they may have the virus – even without being formally diagnosed. As schools have shut, parents have been forced to take time out to supervise their children at home.

This poses a problem for many, as benefits systems usually require workers to have evidence of their condition in order to claim and payments often don't kick in for the first few days. Some companies have made arrangements to allow employees to work from home, or to continue to pay them during quarantine periods. But self-employed or contract workers, who are sometimes those in the most precarious financial positions, cannot benefit. 

So governments have been under pressure to act.

Read more: COVID-19: Europe steps up measures to contain the crisis

Italy

Italy has officially become the worst-hit nation after China, yesterday shutting down a huge swathe of the northern regions that power its economy.

As the crisis worsened, the government in Rome unveiled an $8.4 billion rescue plan to tackle the virus, as well as a new package of measures to help those living in the worst-hit areas.

The program includes an allowance of 500 euros ($566) per month for a maximum of three months for anyone struck down by the virus, including those who haven't paid regular social security installments.

Read more: Coronavirus epidemic takes its toll on European tourism

That includes so-called gig economy workers – those employed on a temporary basis – and the self-employed, who are usually expected to cover the costs of sick-day themselves.

Payments on utilities, such as water, gas, and electricity bills, have also been suspended in the "red zone," with mortgage payments on hold for a period of at least 30 days for those unable to come in to work and the government promising to prioritize extended credit to those operating in the area, including those in the agri-food sector.

Only in the 'red zone'

However, Tania Scacchetti from the Italian union CGIL in Rome, says the measures are far from adequate.

"We consider the first decree in support of the families, workers and business affected by COVID-19 an important response and a very timely one, but actually most of the measures are only aimed at what's been called the 'red zone'," She says.

"The economic and social effects of the emergency measures have had a wider impact than that."

Read more: COVID-19: Airlines cancel more flights as EU raises risk rating

The UK

With the UK government estimating that up to a fifth of the British workforce could be unable to come in to work during the virus's peak, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced emergency laws to widen the minimum level of sick pay to help those affected earlier this week.

The usual $121-a-week given to British workers starting after four days off work due to illness will now be available from day one of becoming ill, or in the case of COVID-19, if you have been advised to self-isolate by a medical professional. 

The payment will be made available for full-time, part-time, and agency staff for up to 28 weeks.

Watch: UK chief medical adviser: COVID-19 death rate may be 'much below' 1%

However, with the exception of some of those on zero-hour contracts, this does not stretch to about two million low-paid employees who do not meet the $151-a-week earnings threshold to access sick pay, or the UK's 4.8 million self-employed workers.

The government has suggested that those who do not qualify for the allowance should request a different social security package aimed at the unemployed, for which claimants must wait five weeks.

Aside from the hold-up in payment, those who try to claim it could be penalized for not attending meetings with their so-called career advisers – a requirement of receiving the money – which in the case of COVID-19-related self-isolation, could complicate matters.  

The Trades Union Congress (TUC), the UK's national unions center, responded to the measures by saying that low-paid workers either "risk going without pay for a prolonged period, or they go in to work while ill against government advice. By doing so, they could be putting their own, their colleagues' and their families' lives at risk."

Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn has described the government's proposals as leaving those on low salaries with the "terrible choice between health and hardship."

France

At the beginning of February, the French government introduced a slew of measures to deal not only with the economic impact of COVID-19 on businesses, but also on their employees.

Policies included a daily allowance, normally set at 50 percent of the employee's basic pay, for "the insured persons exposed to coronavirus," which differs from usual policy in that it doesn't exclude low earners or those who have not been making social security payments.

Unlike in the UK, that means sick pay compensation is open to the self-employed and many gig-economy workers.

The decree, which will remain in place until the end of March, also "bypasses" the usual waiting period of three days, allowing people to claim payment from the first day of sickness or quarantine for up to 20 days.

France's robust labor laws also mean that "French employees have a right of withdrawal if the situation at their workplace is endangering their health," says Dominique Andolfatto, a political science specialist at the University of Burgundy.

Read more: Louvre museum in Paris reopens after staff end COVID-19 protest

Walking out

This was the case at the world's most popular museum, the Louvre, which is visited by around 35,000 people from around the world on a daily basis.

Staff had refused to work at the museum for a 48-hour period, after saying their requests for masks, along with other protective measures, had been rejected by management.

They are now back at work after "extra measures to ensure the safety of both employees and visitors" were introduced, which include allowing workers to wash their hands more regularly, wider distribution of disinfectant gels and an increased frequency of staff rotations.

The problem with this, though, is that according to Andolfatto: "Only a judge can evaluate the exercise of this right of withdrawal. Justice is slow and this can lead to long disputes."

He cites the walkouts staged by 200 bus drivers working for transport firm Keolis Meyer, during which employees refused to man their vehicles after managers initially rejected their calls to hand out gloves and masks so they no longer had to handle cash.

"We're cheek-by-jowl with the customers," said one of the drivers. "We're scared."

Parent company Keolis says the French government has "made clear that at this stage of the coronavirus outbreak, the right to stop work is not justified," but the drivers, backed by their unions, were still legally entitled to full pay under French law. That is until a judge rules on the case."