On 13 March , in what now seems another world, and following reports of mass infection in Eastern France by a gathering of people, the French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe banned by decree gatherings of more than people except on public transport.
On 16 March , President Macron ordered limitations from 17 March on movement, to halt the Covid pandemic. As in the UK, working from home was to be the default option. Where home working was not possible, work was to be organised in order to ensure health and safety. Social distancing was to be observed at work as elsewhere. Work is done across shifts. Article L of the French Code du Travail requires an employer to take the necessary steps to ensure the safety and protect the physical and mental health of its workers.
In early April, formal notices were issued to Amazon by regional authorities to take such steps, in particular the implementation of barriers and social distancing. Following an inspection at one depot on 8 April, a labour inspector made observations on the risks of contamination presented by revolving doors on entry and water and coffee machines. At another of the depots, an inspector noted a failure to ensure social distancing and pointed to the need for complementary measures such as disinfection and regular hand washing.
It sought closure of the depots on the grounds that, in breach of the early decree โ on 13 March โ more than people were gathered at Amazon depots. Alternatively, it sought an order prohibiting sale and delivery of non-essential goods. It defined this as goods which were not food or toiletries or medicine so as to reduce the number of staff to below Further, it sought a risk assessment by Amazon in relation to the risk presented by Covid It also sought details of workers who had been contaminated and what measures had been taken as well as the taking of measures for psychological health.
In a judgment handed down on 14 April, The Tribunal of Nanterre concluded that the measure limiting gatherings of does not affect the right to conduct business. It ordered Amazon to limit, within 24 hours, its activities of receipt, preparation and delivery of goods to orders of food, toiletries and medicine until it has carried out, in association with employee representatives, an assessment of the work risks in all its depots presented by Covid Amazon was required to comply with its duty under Art L The Tribunal put in place a penalty in the event of default of its order.
