Answers to frequently asked questions:
- How to handle used self-tests?
We recommend: The test kit must be disposed of safely, i. after the test, place the used contents of the test kit in a plastic bag and dispose of with municipal waste. If necessary, disinfect the bags with used self-tests. The self-test leaflet should indicate specific procedures for handling the self-test after use. Alternatively, follow the opinion of the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic. - Will the state also reimburse employee testing performed through MOM?
Yes. Read points 2, 14 and 22 of the manual. It will be 6 euros per employee once a week. The employer requests financial compensation from the Ministry of Economy of the Slovak Republic in a manner that will be announced by the end of December 2021. - Where can I buy self-tests?
If you are the subject of economic mobilization, you can buy self-tests in a pharmacy, through other companies (sellers from the Slovak Republic and abroad) or in quantities over 1,000 pieces directly from a drug distributor. In your case, also through the subject of economic mobilization – UNIPHARMA – 1st Slovak Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company (read points 6 and 11 of the manual). If you are not a subject of economic mobilization, you can buy self-tests in a pharmacy, through other companies (sellers from Slovakia and abroad) or in quantities over 1,000 pieces directly from a drug distributor (read point 6 of the manual). - How will the state overpay for testing?
In the form of an application. Details will be published at the end of December 2021 on the website of the Ministry of Economy of the Slovak Republic: https://www.mhsr.sk/koronavirus/testovanie-firiem-2021 (read point 25-27 of the manual). We are unable to provide more information yet. - Who needs to be tested, resp. falls under the manual?
a) an unvaccinated person, i.e. a person not vaccinated at all or vaccinated only for the first dose of a two-dose vaccine, b) a vaccinated person who is vaccinated with an unapproved vaccine, c) a person who has passed COVID-19 in more than 180 days. Approved and accepted vaccine in the Slovak Republic is: BioNTech vaccine, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson vaccine, Modern vaccine, Oxford Vaccine, AstraZeneca, Sputnik V vaccine. A greenpass is issued for all vaccines accepted by the EMA (European Medicines Agency). - Is the number of employees to be tested?
Not. The employer tests employees who do not meet the OTP condition (vaccinated, outdated or already tested). - Can my employer order me to test at MOM?
Yes. If the costs are higher than 6 euros, 6 euros will be reimbursed by the state and the rest will be borne by the employer, who did not create a free testing for the employee. The authorized person of the employer keeps records of this (read point 14 of the manual). - Which self-tests will be reimbursed, resp. which are accepted?
The method of purchasing the tests is directed by the company, but must be published at https://covid-19-diagnostics.jrc.ec.europa.eu/. All tests on the list are accepted. In general, nasal self-tests are available in the pharmacy network, as nasopharyngeal (nasopharyngeal) tests are not for home use and require medical staff to perform them. If you have one, of course, such testing will also be accepted (as is testing in MOM). The tests will be reimbursed only for unvaccinated and unsurpassed employees. For the purposes of the Manual, an employee who has undergone an antigenic self – test from the nose – nasal antigen self – diagnostic rapid test or from saliva is considered to be tested. - Can an employee be tested at home? Will it be reimbursed by the state?
Not. Self-testing at home is not acceptable. There are only two accepted ways: MOM, an authorized person authorized by the employer to supervise the proper performance of the antigenic self-test by the employee and to keep records of its outcome. - I’m a self-employed person. Does the manual apply to me?
Yes, but only own employees. - I am a municipality / city. Does the manual also apply to me?
Yes. - Who is considered outdated on COVID-19?
He is a person who overcame COVID-19 in the period no more than 180 days ago. It is proven, e.g. a positive test certificate (positive RT-PCR test result) or a green passport.Or according to § 1 par. 3 of the Decree of the ÚVZ SR no. 264/2021 Vest. in. SR: “A person who has contracted COVID-19 not more than 180 days ago means a person who can prove this on the basis of a positive RT-PCR test.” Such an employee is registered as out of date and is not tested according to this manual. - If I test employees more than once in a week, will the state reimburse me?
Not. Read point 24 of the manual. The manual does not preclude the testing of one employee by the employer several times a week, but the state no longer reimburses this testing. - When I test employees within a week, but everyone on a different day, will the state reimburse me?
Yes. The rule is that one employee (one birth number) must be tested once within a week. This means that you don’t have to test the employees you wear out all at once in one day, but over the course of a week (employees working on change). Employees who do not have a scheduled work on the day of testing do not need to take part in the testing, but the employer should create the conditions for them to be tested once a week free of charge. You can also find more information on the website of the National Labor Inspectorate:https://www.ip.gov.sk/opatrenie-pri-ohrozeni-verejneho-zdravia-ktore-podmienuje-vstup-na-pracovisko-a-do-inych-priestorov-zamestnavatela/ - Who can be an authorized person for an employer to be tested?
Person authorized by the employer. She does not perform the test herself, she just makes sure that it is performed correctly and keeps a record of the tested (read point 13 of the manual). He is a regular employee who does not need to have a medical degree. It is necessary to create premises for ensuring the implementation of testing and registration of the tested. Best in a larger interior (this depends on the number of employees who have to be tested on a specific day or days set by the employer to avoid creating large gatherings of people). - Is there a model for keeping records of tested employees?
Pursuant to the test person’s manual, a test certificate is issued with the signature of an authorized person stating the test result, which is valid and binding for the purposes of the temporary measure for the entry of employees to the employer’s workplace. A sample confirmation is attached to the manual.It is up to you to decide whether to create a certificate at your discretion (it must contain information about the employee in the range of name, surname, birth number, test date and test result in accordance with point 18 of the manual) or use the sample confirmation from the manual. - What should I do if an employer requires me to be tested at MOM as an employee at my own expense, but I refuse and the employer does not want to do workplace testing?
The company has a duty to control its employees and not let people who are not OTP into the building.The Labor Code does not precisely define whether the employer should deal with free testing of employees at the workplace or through MOM. The employer may also set an entry regime (employee take the test at his own expense), but then the absence of an employee at the workplace who refuses to take the MOM test at his own expense should be considered a barrier to work on the part of the employer and not the employee, as the employer did not allow his employee free testing (Section 250b (6) and (7) of the Labor Code). If the employee is tested at his / her own expense in the MOM, he / she can demand reimbursement from the employer, but the state solves the reimbursement of the testing through the MOM only in the amount of 6 euros.It is necessary to follow the Labor Code (amended by Act No. 412/2021 Coll.) As well as the Decrees of the ÚVZ SR No. 264/2021 no. 252/2021 published in the Gazette of the Government of the Slovak Republic. Also follow § 48 of Act no. 355/2007 Coll. Ask the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic, ÚVZ SR or MPSVR SR for an interpretation of the wording of the said legal regulations.
- Is the manual also intended for civil servants, civil servants and members of staff employed in service offices, which are ministries and other central state administration bodies?
Not. These institutions follow the instructions of the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic. It is up to these institutions to apply the tests as set out below.The Government imposed by task B.2 from the Resolution of the Government of the Slovak Republic no. 687/2021 to distribute tests for civil servants, civil servants and members of staff employed in service offices, which are ministries and other central state administration bodies. These will be distributed to the local relevant district offices according to the location of the workplace.Based on the above, the institution was asked to report the necessary tests for ministries and subordinate state organizations by November 26, 2021 by 12:00. via Google form available at URL:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Vgj_hZd7C81v7HToq1CS5HZB6-JuFPkMgYAD3-dfgyM/edit
The tests will be distributed in two phases. In the first phase, the numbers for two tests were reported (number of identified employees x 2), ie. testing at weeks 48 and 49. For the second phase, another call will be sent during week 49 with a longer time period to submit requests.
The tests are intended only for directly managed entities, not state-owned enterprises. When filling in the number of test needs, only the real number of present and unvaccinated employees and those who have not overcome the disease in the last 180 days is recorded.
You must be logged in to your Gmail account to complete the survey. It will not be possible to fill in the form after the deadline. The tests will be picked up from Monday, November 29, 2021 at the district offices by individual agreement.
- What is the purpose of the self-test performed?
The test certificate is used by the employer for the purpose of complying with the OTP regime at the workplace. The certificate can therefore be signed by an authorized person designated by the employer. Entry of other persons into the employer’s workplace, such as visit or employees of another employer who need to enter the employer’s workplace from a work point of view are not addressed in this manual. Prior to entry, they should be shown to comply with the OTP regime. - Is it necessary to test external staff?
Even if they are field workers (eg couriers or taxi drivers), it is necessary to realize that if they come into contact with other persons, then § 2 para. 2 of the Decree of the ÚVZ SR no. 264/2021, which, for reasons of public health protection, imposes a temporary measure for the entry of employees into the employer’s workplace and not § 2 par. 3 of the Decree of the ÚVZ SR no. 264/2021.The workplace for taxi drivers is the interior of the taxi and the taxi driver also comes into contact with other people. Couriers, in turn, come into contact with other people.Only if it is an employee who does not come into contact at all during his work with another person, § 2 par. 3 of the Decree of the ÚVZ SR no. 264/2021.
Link to the decree:
https://www.minv.sk/swift_data/source/verejna_sprava/vestnik_vlady_sr_rok_2021/vyhlaska_264.pdf
- Who do I, as an employer, designate as an authorized person if none of the employees wants to perform such work?
It is a problem to order an employee to be an authorized person (an authorized person does not need medical education as it is required to be tested by self-tests) if he does not agree. If possible, we recommend that the employer try to agree with one of his employees to become an authorized person and, if necessary, try to motivate him to take on the role of authorized person (financially, personal leave or other). If such an employee is not found, then testing should be provided by the statutory body. Or the employer will recommend to its employees who need testing to test through MOM, while the Ministry of Economy of the Slovak Republic will reimburse the employer in January 2022 only the amount of up to 6 euros per employee tested once a week.If possible, you can also order a home office for such persons. People at the home office do not need testing if they do not come to work once a week. - How to proceed with employees who prove to be a negative test result from MOM?
If the testing is done through MOM, the tested person can receive an SMS, e-mail or just a paper form about the result of the test after the vaccination.It is not yet determined what documents the employer will have to submit to the Ministry of Economy of the Slovak Republic in January 2022 in order to be reimbursed for financial testing of designated employees.When proving that the test has been performed through the MOM, we recommend that the employee provide the authorized person of the employer or another designated person with a confirmation of payment for the test. Based on the confirmation, the employer should reimburse the employee for testing costs of max. up to 6 euros.
- How to proceed with strangers entering the employer’s premises?
You do not test and apply this manual to foreign employees. As an employer, you can internally regulate the conditions of entry to your premises.Alternatively, consult your question with the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic, which is the drafter of Act no. 355/2007 Coll. on the protection, promotion and development of public health and on the amendment of certain laws.52a
Obligations of natural persons, natural persons – entrepreneurs and legal entities related to entry into the premises of the facility and entry to mass events during a crisis situation due to COVID-19(1) Natural persons – entrepreneurs and legal entities are obliged to require the persons entering the operations and for mass events to meet the conditions under § 48 para. 4 letter from); for this purpose, they are entitled to require persons to prove their identity and prove their confirmation pursuant to § 48 para. 4 letter from).
(2) Natural persons – entrepreneurs and legal entities are obliged to refuse entry to the premises of the facility or entry to a mass event to a person who refuses to prove compliance with the conditions under § 48 para. 4 letter z) or does not comply with the measures ordered pursuant to § 48 par. 4 due to COVID-19 disease.
The Ministry of Economy of the Slovak Republic is not competent to comment professionally on the provisions of Act no. 355/2007 Coll.
- Where can I find a list of official MOMs?
List of 69 official MOMs in which the price of the test is 5 euros.https://www.health.gov.sk/?Ag-mom - Does the manual also apply to ÚOŠS?
Yes. We assume that all ÚOŠS were informed by the Ministry of the Interior of the Slovak Republic by e-mail on 25 November 2021 about the possibility of solving testing of their employees. to the Minister of the Interior by task B.2 of the Resolution of the Government of the Slovak Republic No. 687/2021: https://rokovania.gov.sk/RVL/Resolution/19671/1ddistribute tests for civil servants, civil servants and members of the civil service, which are ministries and other central government bodies. These will be distributed to the local relevant district offices according to the location of the workplace.If this method does not suit you, you can also use MOM to test your employees and the elaborated manual applies to you.
- Will the state also reimburse self-tests, which will only be purchased but not used for testing?
Not.
