Relaxation of lockdown requirements for financial services

The Government of Jersey has announced that lockdown restrictions on financial services businesses are being lifted from tomorrow (Thursday 21 May).

The ‘Stay at Home’ order and ‘Essential Worker Scheme’ are being replaced by new workplace regulations which mean that businesses can plan to gradually return to the workplace.

Working from home – default operating model

The Government is still stipulating that businesses should continue to work from home for the present time, unless it is necessary for a limited number of essential employees to return to the workplace to carry out critical operations.

Risk assessment

As required by the Government, before any of your staff can return to your office premises, you are required to carry out a full risk assessment and put health and safety measures in place to manage and reduce the risk of the virus spreading. Only the bare minimum of staff will be allowed back into the office under these revised requirements and only if their work cannot be carried out at home.

Planning your return to the workplace

Your business should prepare a return to work risk assessment for your Board or Executive to approve. This will be bespoke to your office environment and should cover:

• the operational reasons why your business needs to return to the office
• a risk assessment of all areas of your business where there is the potential for person-to person contamination, for example internal and external meetings, supply deliveries, sales processes, office setup etc.
• detailed measures to manage any identified risks
• a policy for your staff members who must or should work from the office
• contingency planning for future staff illness

You will need to make your risk assessment available to the relevant authorities on request.

Revising your business continuity plans

You should also update your business continuity plans to reflect your new arrangements with reference to your return to work risk assessment.

Regulatory requirements

We expect all regulated businesses to continue to meet regulatory requirements while transitioning back to the workplace.

If you have any concerns or queries, you should contact your supervisor.

Guidance on working safely during the pandemic

For more information about Jersey’s new work regulations or for any queries you may have about returning to the workplace, you should contact the Government. workplacecovid@gov.je

The UK Government published guidance earlier this month around office working during the pandemic.

UK Government guidance: Working safely during Covid-19 in offices and contact centres