Useful Links and Advice for Covid-19

For any employers or business owners looking for information and guidance about the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19), HAI recommends referring to the following resources:

Person Protective Equipment Supply:

We have compiled a list of suppliers of have an available supply chain of PPE for the hardware retail/builder merchants sector. For access to this list contact HAI – info@hardwareassociation.ie.

Key Industry Information:

• UPDATE: 20/10/2020 – Government moves entire country to LEVEL 5 restrictions, beginning midnight Wednesday October 21st – https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/66269-ireland-placed-on-level-5-of-the-plan-for-living-with-covid/
• Essential Retailers allowed open under Level 5 – https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/60ecc-essential-retail-outlets-for-level-4/?referrer=http://www.gov.ie/essentialretail/
• Reminder of Public Health Guidelines for Retailers – https://hardwareassociation.ie/reminder-of-public-health-guidelines-for-retailers/
• Living with Covid Plan – https://www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/resilience-recovery-2020-2021-plan-for-living-with-covid-19/
• Face Coverings and other Public Health Measures – https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/cf9b0d-new-public-health-measures-effective-now-to-prevent-further-spread-o/
• HSA Checklists – These checklists and templates have been prepared to help employers, business owners and managers to get their business up and running again and to inform workers about what they need to do to help prevent the spread of Covid-19 in the workplace. – www.hsa.ie/eng/topics/covid-19/return_to_work_safely_templates_and_checklists/return_to_work_safely_templates_and_checklists.html
• Restart Grant – Supports and funding available for SMEs restarting/reopening their business as part of Reopening Roadmap. Further info and applications can be found via your Local Authority – https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/942f74-local-authorities/
• Supports for Businesses Impacted by Covid-19 – A collection of supports and helplines compiled by the DBEI – https://dbei.gov.ie/en/Publications/Publication-files/Supports-for-businesses-impacted-by-COVID-19.pdf
• How business can help with supplies and services to respond to COVID-19 – https://www.gov.ie/en/service/e15fbc-how-business-can-help-with-supplies-and-services-to-respond-to-covid/?referrer=/covidsupplies/
• Return to Work Protocol – sets out the steps employers and workers must take before a workplace reopens, and while it continues to operate – https://dbei.gov.ie/en/Publications/Return-to-Work-Safely-Protocol.html

Online/SME Supports:

• Enterprise Ireland – Online Retail Scheme – Call 2 opened for applications on 31^st August and closes at 3pm on Monday 28^th September 2020 – https://www.enterprise-ireland.com/en/funding-supports/Online-Retail/Online-Retail-Scheme/
• Energia Supply Suspension Scheme – government scheme that suspends your electricity and gas charges for 3 months if your site is non-operational due to Covid-19 – https://www.energia.ie/business/sss
• Enterprise Ireland – Online Retail Scheme – for retailers with an existing website, and at least 10 employees – https://www.enterprise-ireland.com/en/funding-supports/Online-Retail/Online-Retail-Scheme/
• Local Enterprise Office – Business Continuity Voucher – https://www.localenterprise.ie/Portal/response/Business-Continuity-Voucher/Business-Continuity-Voucher.html
• Local Enterprise Office – Trading Online Voucher – https://www.localenterprise.ie/Discover-Business-Supports/Trading-Online-Voucher-Scheme-/

Data Protection Commission

• GDPR Guide for Working Remotely – Download

Department of Health:

• Guidance for Supply Chain workers – https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/3b16b6-covid-19-coronavirus-information-from-across-government/#information-for-businesses – Download
• Covid-19 Health Guidance and Advice – https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/472f64-covid-19-coronavirus-guidance-and-advice/

Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection:

• Major expansion of SME Supports – https://dbei.gov.ie/en/News-And-Events/Department-News/2020/April/08042020.html
• Covid-19 Information for Employers – https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/612b90-covid-19-information-for-employers/
• COVID-19 Employer Refund Scheme – https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/355f2c-doherty-announces-details-of-the-covid-employer-refund-scheme/
• Employer Refund Scheme FAQs – Download
• Information for employers and employees – https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/99104a-covid-19-coronavirus/
• Information for Employees and Self-Employed – https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/eca524-covid-19-information-for-employees/
• Quick guides for employers and employees – https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/66d22e-covid-19-deasp-information-for-employers-and-employees-pdf/
• COVID-19 -Pandemic Unemployment Payment (Jobseekers Emergency Payments Guide ) – https://www.gov.ie/en/service/be74d3-covid-19-pandemic-unemployment-payment/

Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation:

• Business Continuity Planning Checklist: https://dbei.gov.ie/en/Publications/Business-Continuity-Planning-A-checklist-of-Preparatory-Actions-in-Responding-to-the-COVID-19-Outbreak.html
• Stakeholder FAQs
• Mass Gathering Guidance – this document also includes links to downloadable and printable posters on preventing spread of infection

Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC):

Guidance for the Business and Retail Sector: https://www.hpsc.ie/a-z/respiratory/coronavirus/novelcoronavirus/guidance/businessguidance/

Health Service Executive (HSE): https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/coronavirus/coronavirus.html

National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI)

• Covid-19 – Workplace Protection and Improvement Guide – https://www.nsai.ie/images/uploads/general/Covid-19_Workplace_Protection_and_Improvement_Guide.pdf

Revenue:

• Covid-19 information and advice for taxpayers and agents – https://www.revenue.ie/en/corporate/communications/covid19/customs-vrt-and-excise.aspx
• Guidance for Employers on Operation of the Covid-19 Employer Refund Scheme – Download

Insurance:

• Thompson Insurances – Advice and Guidance on Covid-19 and Business Insurance Policies – Download

Logistics:

• Woodland Group – Clarification regarding Warehousing Operations – Download/View

Legal Information:

• JPA Brenson Lawlor – Business Protection Information for HAI members – Download/View

Workplace Relations Commission: https://www.workplacerelations.ie/wrc/en/news-media/workplace_relations_notices/covid-19-guidance-notice-for-employers-and-employees-.html

Downloadable and Printable Posters

• Department of Health – Face Covering Posters for Public Use – https://www.gov.ie/en/collection/ee0781-covid-19-posters-for-public-use/
• World Health Organisation (WHO) – Including hand-washing and hand-rubbing guides – https://www.who.int/gpsc/5may/resources/posters/en/
• Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) – https://www.hpsc.ie/a-z/microbiologyantimicrobialresistance/infectioncontrolandhai/posters/
• HSE – Public Health Advice Poster
• HSE – Public Information Poster – English
• HSE – Public Information Poster – Irish
• Department of Health – Full suite of posters, floor signage and other social distancing collateral – https://www.gov.ie/en/collection/02cd5c-covid-19-information-resources/
• Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation – Physical Distancing Graphics for Outdoor Guidance – Link

For anyone looking for specific employment/HR advice around the Coronavirus we recommend contacting Tom Smyth & Associates. You can find their contact details here.

Note that we will continue to update this post with any new resources or information as it comes about.