Cyprus Business Now

The Ministry of Energy, Commerce and Industry has released a statement on companies in Cyprus and the energy efficiency regulations affecting them.

The ministry specifies that companies that do not fall under the Small-to-Medium business category must conduct an energy efficiency audit of their premises by independent assessment consultants. The energy efficiency check must be conducted within four years after each previous check.

“Every company that belongs to the non-SME category must ensure that an energy audit is carried out that meets the relevant criteria and includes a detailed overview of the energy consumption of the building or group of buildings, an industrial activity or installation, including transport,” the ministry said.

Cypriot company Tryfon Tseriotis has implemented a mental health policy that allows its employees to take paid time off for a variety of mental health issues, including stress, exhaustion, grief, separation anxiety and more.

“Our company first implemented new mental health policies two years ago to safeguard our employees’ mental health,” Tryfon Tseriotis HR Manager Sophia Antoniou said.

“These policies include free therapy sessions, supporting material on mental health and constant suggestions and idea on the optimization of the emotional wellbeing of our employees,” Antoniou added.

“Recognising the needs that have arisen from the special circumstances of the last year, our company is leading the way with the recent implementation of the paid leave policy for mental health reasons,” Antoniou concluded, hinting at the effects that the pandemic has had on mental health.

Minister of Labour Zeta Aimilianidou has laid the groundwork for the enactment of a law that will cover and secure the employment status of remote workers.

The proposed legislation will cover the relationship between the employer and the remote worker and will apply to both private and public workers.

In a similar piece of legislation enacted in Greece, remote working is deemed voluntary for both the organisation and the employee.

Workers whose physical presence at the workplace is deemed necessary due to the nature of their profession will be excluded from this law.