You are using an outdated browser and your browsing experience will not be optimal. Please update to the latest version of Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. Install Microsoft Edge

June 12, 2020

Indonesia Issues Workplace Guidelines in Preparation for Reopening

Subscribe to Updates

Two government agencies in Indonesia have issued guidelines that employers and employees should follow to ensure their workplaces can reopen and operate safely.

The National Agency of Drug and Food Control has issued health and safety guidelines titled “Everything About COVID-19, Prevent COVID-19, Health for All,” with recommendations for social distancing, ventilation, cleaning, mask wearing, and other personal hygiene practices.

Other detailed guidelines are in the Decree of the Minister of Health No. HK.01.07/MENKES/328/2020 on Guidelines to Prevent and Mitigate Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Office and Industrial Workplaces in an Effort to Support Business Continuation on a Pandemic Situation, and in Circular No. HK.02.01/MENKES/335/2020 Re: Protocol for the Prevention of Transmission of the Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) in Workplaces in Services and Trade Sectors (Public Areas) in an Effort to Support Business Continuation.

These detailed guidelines include the following requirements:

  • All workers must wear face masks during their commutes and at work.
  • All visitors must wear face masks.
  • Employers must provide adequate hand washing facilities that are easily accessible.
  • Employers must ensure that workers understand how they can prevent COVID-19 transmission.
  • Workers and visitors who have any symptoms of COVID-19 may not enter the workplace.
  • Workers classified as persons under monitoring and who are suspected of possible infection will have to undergo quarantine and isolation. Wages are to be paid in full during this period, and worker rights such as social security must also continune uninterrupted.
  • There must be a separate area or room for the observation of symptomatic workers during screening.
  • Under certain conditions, workplaces with the proper resources may be able to facilitate quarantine or isolation sites in accordance with the guidelines found at http://www.covid19.go.id.
  • All work areas must be cleaned every four hours using appropriate cleaners and disinfectants (particularly door handles, stairs, elevator buttons, shared office equipment, areas, etc.).
  • Information must be posted to remind workers, vistitors, and customers to observe physical distancing, hand washing (or sanitizing), and mask wearing.
  • Workplace air quality should be optimized with consideration for air circulation, natural lighting, and cleaning air-conditioning filters.
  • Minimize customer contact by using borders and partitions, and by encouraging the use of non-cash, contactless payment methods.
  • One day before going to the workplace, all workers must carry out a COVID-19 self-assessment.
  • Body temperature screening must be set up at each entry point to the workplace.
  • Physical distancing must be observed at all times (e.g., workers should be one meter apart, the number of workers should be limited, and workers should not gather in public areas or in close queues).
  • Floor markings, posters, or banners should be used as visual aids.
  • For workplaces in high-rise buildings, positioning within elevators should be clearly marked on the floor, and stairwell traffic should be separated between ascending and descending—in separate stairwells if possible, or else by establishing dedicated lanes within the stairwell.
  • Customer and client occupancy numbers should be limited by controlling customer entry and implementing a properly spaced queuing system at the entrance, indicating traffic and positioning with floor markings, taking orders online or by telephone (and fulfilling through delivery or take-away when possible), and regulating service hours in accordance with local and regional laws and regulations
  • If possible, special transportation to and from the workplace should be provided to workers. A team to monitor workers’ health should be created to ensure that workers complete the COVID-19 self-assessment form before coming to work, monitor workers with suspected symptoms during work, and ensure that workers returning from an at-risk area self- quarantine at home for 14 days, monitoring for symptoms and checking body temperature twice a day.

Tilleke & Gibbins will continue to update our clients on Indonosia’s handling of the COVID-19 situation. For more details on these guidelines or any aspect of the country’s response to the crisis, please contact Tilleke & Gibbins’s Jakarta office at [email protected] or +6221 2971 8088.

 

Related Professionals

Practices

Corporate/M&A

Location

RELATED INSIGHTS​ 

March 31, 2026
On December 10, 2025, the National Assembly of Vietnam adopted Law on Vocational Education No. 124/2025/QH15, which took effect on January 1, 2026, replacing Law on Vocational Education No. 74/2014/QH13 of 2014. The new law broadens the categories of institutions eligible to deliver vocational training, introduces vocational upper secondary schools, and shifts governance structures for private institutions from ownership-representative boards of management to stakeholder-based school councils. These reforms aim to diversify training providers, align programs with labor market needs, and create a more flexible, open vocational education ecosystem, offering expanded opportunities for foreign and domestic investors, universities, and enterprises. Some highlights of the new Law on Vocational Education are presented below. Expansion of Vocational Training Levels and Programs In addition to elementary, intermediate, and college—the three levels of vocational training program set out under the 2014 Law on Vocational Education—the new law expands the structure by introducing two new levels: Vocational high school training programs are placed between elementary and intermediate levels, and are aimed at combining upper secondary education with vocational training, expanding options for learners after graduating from the lower secondary level. Other vocational training programs are not specified in detail under the new law, but aim to equip learners with the capability to perform and handle one or several simple tasks of an occupation. Expansion of Vocational Education Providers The new law reclassifies and extends vocational education providers by classifying them into two distinct categories: Vocational education institutions, which include colleges, intermediate schools, and vocational high schools. Establishments participating in vocational education activities, which include vocational education centers, vocational-continuing education centers, continuing education centers, other centers with vocational education functions, enterprises, cooperatives, and higher education institutions. Vocational education providers may provide one vocational training level only, or several/all levels, depending on the type of provider. The
Read More
March 31, 2026
Thailand’s Office of the Consumer Protection Board has opened a public hearing period on draft regulations governing the transfer of direct sales and direct marketing businesses. The draft Notification of the Direct Sales and Direct Marketing Committee: Criteria and Procedures for Business Transfer and Amendment of Registration for Direct Sales or Direct Marketing Businesses establishes a compliance-focused process with strict documentation requirements and timelines for transferring direct sales and direct marketing businesses. The proposed framework also defines the roles of transferors and transferees and establishes application procedures with the Office of the Consumer Protection Board. Applications may be submitted in person or electronically and will be examined to confirm they are complete, authentic, and compliant with legal requirements. This includes verification that: The transferee meets all required qualifications; No disqualifying factors apply; and The applicant is not subject to legal restrictions. The public hearing period is open until April 29, 2026. Direct sales and direct marketing business operators should prepare for these proposed requirements to ensure compliant implementation once the regulations are finalized.
Read More
March 27, 2026
Thailand’s National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has publicly indicated that it is preparing a new regulatory framework for data center operators that may introduce foreign-ownership restrictions. In particular, the NBTC is considering reclassifying data center operations from a type 1 telecommunications business license to a type 3 license. If implemented, this change would subject data center operators to a significantly more stringent regulatory regime, especially in relation to foreign ownership and control. The NBTC has indicated that it intends to propose a draft framework to the NBTC board. This would be followed by a public hearing process, with a view to implementing the new rules within 2026. Under the Telecommunications Business Act B.E. 2544 (2001), as amended, telecommunications businesses operating under type 3 licenses are subject to foreign ownership restrictions, including a requirement that less than 50% of the total issued shares be held by foreign shareholders. In addition, type 3 licensees are subject to foreign dominance restrictions, which prohibit arrangements that allow foreigners to dominate the business. These foreign dominance restrictions are broad in scope and may capture various forms of direct and indirect control or influence. This includes circumstances in which a foreign national is able to influence or control the formulation of policy, management, or business operations, or the appointment of directors or senior executives. At this stage, the exact scope of the proposed rules remains unclear. Businesses with existing or planned data center operations in Thailand should therefore monitor upcoming NBTC developments in this regard and prepare for the expected public hearing process.
Read More
March 23, 2026
In March 2026, the Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC) introduced two regulatory updates affecting investors planning new investments or implementing MIC-approved projects. Minimum Investment Conditions for Tax Incentives MIC Notification No. 1/202 clarifies the minimum conditions for investments in promoted sectors to qualify for tax exemptions or relief under the Myanmar Investment Law. The notification establishes the following requirements: Investors must contribute at least 35% of the total investment amount in cash, as reflected in the relevant proposal or endorsement application. Where an investment involves a foreign loan, the investor must obtain approval from the Central Bank of Myanmar, together with a loan repayment schedule, and provide evidence that both the foreign loan proceeds and the capital contribution have been remitted in cash through an authorized dealer bank. Chinese Yuan Accepted for Investment Capital The MIC also issued Investment News Bulletin No. 1/2026, confirming that Chinese yuan (CNY) is now accepted as foreign investment capital for applications for MIC permits and endorsements, in addition to US dollars (USD). Investment funds contributed in CNY may be remitted through banks authorized to deal in foreign currency in CNY, following the same process currently applied to investments made in USD. These developments may affect how foreign investment capital is structured and remitted, as well as the availability of tax incentives for investments under the MIC framework.
Read More