THE AFRICAN COURIER. Reporting Africa and its Diaspora! The African Courier is an international magazine published in Germany to report on Africa and the Diaspora African experience. The first issue of the bimonthly magazine appeared on the newsstands on 15 February 1998. The African Courier is a communication forum for European-African political, economic and cultural exchanges, and a voice for Africa in Europe.
In the era of the coronavirus pandemic, we have to regularly adjust ourselves to new regulations. There are also legislative changes that have nothing to do with the pandemic and have been planned for some time. So that our readers don’t lose sight of new developments, The African Courier has selected important legal changes taking effect from 1 June 2020.
1 June 2020: Notification of illness by phone ends
The emergency regulation according to which it is possible for employees to inform employers of their illness by telephone during the corona crisis was not extended. From 1 June 2020, a physical examination by the doctor is necessary for the medical assessment of whether a patient is unable to work.
15 June 2020: Trips abroad possible again?
Because of the corona pandemic, the Federal Foreign Office had issued a worldwide travel warning until mid-June 2020. According to reports, the federal government plans to lift it from 15 June. Tourists could then travel to 31 European countries again provided the corona pandemic continues to develop positively.
The regulation applies to all EU countries as well as Great Britain, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. But be careful: lifting the travel warning does not automatically mean opening the border of the said countries; they themselves must allow foreigners to enter their country.
End of June: Protection against eviction of tenants ends
Due to the Corona crisis, protection against eviction of tenants came into force in April 2020, which will now expire at the end of June. Tenants who could not pay the tenants did not have to fear termination during this period. The regulation affected both tenants of residential space, as well as commercial tenants. The payment of the arrears must be paid after two years at the latest.
There was a similar delay for payment for the supply of electricity, gas, telecommunications (including the Internet) and water, which is also due to expire at the end of June.
Sola Jolaoso
