Companies must report before work starts

Companies in Shanghai which plan to start to work before February 10 need to report to subdistrict or town governments or industrial parks, the government said on Tuesday.

On Monday it had announced that no company, except those deemed indispensable, should start work before February 10.

Companies who need to start to work "for specific reasons" should file a report with information of the whereabouts of their employees from out of town, contingency plans for the eventual spread of the coronavirus and a pledge that no coronavirus case shall be reported from their companies.

Only after getting an approval can the company start to work. If there is a coronavirus case or any other irregularity, the company shall be put out of work immediately with assigned responsibility, the government said.

Companies are encouraged to let employees work from home before February 10. In such cases, the employees should be regarded as working overtime, the government said.