The government has issued a gazette notice directing all employers to ensure that all employees, who are not designated as working in essential services, leave their work stations by 4:00pm.
"To facilitate compliance with the Order, all employers shall ensure that their staff who are not designated as critical or essential service providers leave the workplace no later than 4:00 O'clock in the afternoon," read the Gazette notice.
Curfew
The directive follows the State ordered curfew, running from 7:00pm to 5:00am, which took effect on Friday, March 27. The dusk to dawn curfew is meant to curb the spread of coronavirus in the country.
President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday also apologised to Kenyans for the police brutality witnessed at the beginning of the curfew. He regretted the manner in which police officers enforced restrictions on movements and public gatherings.
The order to employers is meant to ensure that their employees make it home before the curfew.
Some employers have had their employees working from home while others have resorted to retrenchment, compulsory leave and pay cuts for the workers.
President Uhuru Kenyatta thanked employers who have retained their staff at a time coronavirus pandemic is disrupting businesses across the globe.
Essential services
Those listed under critical and essential service providers include; Medical professionals and health workers, National Security, Administration and Co-ordination Officers, Public Health and Sanitation officers in the county governments, Licensed pharmacies and drug stores, Licensed broadcasters and media houses, Kenya Power & Lighting Company Limited, Food Dealers, Distributors, Wholesalers & Transporters of farm produce, Licensed Supermarkets, Mini-Markets and Hypermarkets, Licensed Distributors and Retailers of Petroleum and Oil Products and Lubricants, Licensed Telecommunication Operators and Service Providers, Licensed Banks, Financial Institutions and Payment Financial Services, Fire Brigade and other Emergency Response Services and Licensed security firms.
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