French workers to be allowed (officially) to eat at desks

French workers will soon be able to eat lunch at their desks to help maintain social distancing measures in the workplace. It is currently forbidden under labour rules - the Code du Travail - for staff to do so.

A new ruling will come into effect to change this “in the next few days” news agency AFP reported.

The Code du Travail currently prohibits companies from "allowing workers to take their meals on the premises assigned to work".

The protocol governing the organisation and operation of businesses was tightened on January 29 so that now there must be a distance of two metres between people in a workplace when masks cannot be worn, including in cantines or lunch halls.

To help cater for this, staff will be allowed to eat meals at their desks.

In a speech last Friday, Prime Minister Jean Castex said working from home (télétravail) is now more necessary than ever.

"In all companies where it is possible, the use of télétravail will be reinforced,” he said.

No lockdown for France but crackdown on curfew breaches

Working from home is the rule for all professional activities that allow it. In the case that someone is working 100% from home, they are allowed to go into their workplace for a maximum of one day a week if it is required.

In January, only 64% of those who could work from home did so, compared to 70% last November, a study conducted for the Ministry of Labour has found.

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