October 15, when millions of Italians (public, private and self-employed employees) will have to have the Green pass to access the workplace, is upon us. Some companies have decided to cater to workers who are not vaccinated by paying them for tampons. The green certificate, and therefore access to the office or factory, is in fact recognized when the worker has tested negative in the rapid antigen test in the last 48 hours or in the molecular test in the last 72 hours. From the former Ilva to Ducati, to Ima (industrial automation), to Piquadro (leather accessories), to NaturaSì (organic products), up to some terminal operators in the port of Genoa (the Psa di Prà terminal and Porto Petroli) have decided to pay tampons to employees who do not have the green certificate.
A decision that, from the point of view of the companies that have gone in this direction, stems from the desire to guarantee compliance with the new rules on the Green pass, to allow all workers to carry out their activities in the company, respecting the freedom not to get vaccinated. , and avoid the struggles and divisions that the pandemic has exacerbated in relations, and, above all, guarantee operations.
The operational node for companies with few employees
This last consideration is especially true for smaller companies, considering that for companies with fewer than fifteen employees there is the possibility, after a worker does not present the Green Pass for five days, to replace the employee with another, suspending him for the duration of the contract as unjustified absentee. This suspension can be for a maximum duration of ten days, renewable only once and in any case cannot exceed 31 December 2021. In these cases it will be difficult to find a replacement, even more so if it is only for twenty days.
Ex Ilva, Acciaierie d’Italia bears personal buffer expenses
Acciaierie d’Italia, the former Ilva, has communicated to the unions that it will bear the cost of the tampons for the workers of the Taranto steel plant. There are 1,600 out of a total of 8,200 workers who do not have the green pass. A note from the company explains that this is a decision taken “in order to allow its staff not yet vaccinated, the possibility of obtaining the temporary green pass, essential as of October 15, 2021, for access to the plant” . Employees will be able to go to the affiliated pharmacy in Taranto from 14 October, subject to telephone booking. The swabs will be performed from Monday to Saturday, from 8 to 20, and on Sunday from 9 to 14.
Ducati and the engineering companies of Bologna
Even the metalworking companies of Bologna go in this direction. From Ima to Ducati Motor, to Bonfiglioli reducers and Toyota Material Handling. Lamborghini could also join the group.