Days from June 15 to June 19, 2021 will be days off in Moscow
Moscow Mayor Decree No. 29-UM dated June 12, 2021
Expert comment: In order to prevent the spread of coronavirus, the Mayor of Moscow has issued a decree providing that organizations and individual entrepreneurs in Moscow are to operate from June 15, 2021 to June 19, 2021 inclusive as they did up until June 12, 2021, i.e. as they would on the weekend (Sunday).
The decree requires employers to do the following from June 13, 2021 onwards:
1. Switch to remote work at least 30% of their employees (including employees over the age of 65 and people suffering from any of the diseases listed by Moscow City Health Department) and contractors under civil law contracts.
An exception is made for employees whose presence in the workplace is critical for the running of their organizations/individual entrepreneurs.
People who have been vaccinated will not need to be included among the employees, contractors under civil law contracts to be switched to remote work.
2. Minimize the physical presence of employees, contractors under civil law contracts at workplaces.
3. Put in place some incentives for employees, contractors under civil law contracts to get vaccinated against coronavirus.
4. From June 15, 2021 to June 19, 2021, revert to the work schedule that was in place in organizations until June 12, 2021, i.e. operate as they would on the weekend.
An exception is made for organizations whose activities cannot be limited as set out in Presidential Decree No. 316 dated May 11, 2020 Determining the Procedure for Extending Measures Ensuring Public Health in the Constituent Entities of the Russian Federation due to the Spread of COVID-19:
а) continuously operating organizations, organizations with equipment designed for continuous technological process;
b) medical and pharmacy organizations;
c) organizations providing with public with food and basic necessities;
d) organizations fulfilling urgent work in emergencies and/or in the event of a threat of the spread of a disease constituting a danger to the public, in other cases endangering life, public health, or normal living conditions;
e) organizations carrying out urgent repairs and engaged in loading and unloading operations;
f) organizations providing financial services, in particular, urgent functions (primarily settlement and payment services).
If the running of organizations cannot be suspended for the abovementioned period, we recommend enlisting for work on days off only the employees whose presence at the workplace is critical to ensure the running of the organization. This should be done with the employees' prior consent as prescribed in Article 113 of the Russian Labor Code.
We do not recommend enlisting during this period any employees over the age of 65 as well as employees suffering from any of the diseases listed by Moscow City Health Department.
Please note that it is prohibited to request the following employees to work on weekends:
1) pregnant women (Article 259(1) Russian Labor Code);
2) employees under the age of 18 (Article 268 Russian Labor Code).
Article 153 of the Russian Labor Code sets out how the hours worked by employees who are requested to work during days off should be paid:
- Piece-workers – at least double piece-rate;
- Workers paid a daily and hourly rate – at least double their daily or hourly rate;
- Employees receiving a salary (fixed salary) – at least a single daily or hourly rate (salary per day or hour of work) in addition to salary (fixed salary) if work on weekend or public holiday is performed within monthly working hours, and at least double daily or hourly rate (salary per day or hour of work) in addition to salary (fixed salary) if work is performed beyond monthly working hours;
- Employees working on weekends or public holidays may at their request be granted a day off in lieu. In such case, the hours worked on weekends or public holidays are paid as usual, and the day off is not paid.