Paris (CNN Business) Many French workers can now eat at their desks without breaking
the law.
To help curb the spread of Covid 19, the country has suspended a longstanding prohibition on desk lunches,
according to a government decree published Sunday.
The lunch break, or "la pause déjeuner," is
considered sacrosanct in France. Before Sunday's decree French labor code forbade employers from
allowing workers "to have their meals in the workplace," reflecting
the importance of food and meals in national culture.
The temporary rule applies to offices with more
than 50 employees and where the layout of the cafeteria does not allow for
social distancing. People must be at least one meter apart when not wearing a
face mask.
Before the pandemic, French workers typically enjoyed a two or three course meal with colleagues at a nearby bistro.
They can't now because restaurants, bars and cafes were closed in October 2020. Besides, there is a nationwide 6 p.m. curfew.
People eat their lunch outside a closed restaurant in Paris.
