p stricter when there are too many unfilled jobs, more generous when unemployment is high. » This is how, since the summer, the government, headed by the Minister of Labor, Olivier Dussopt, presented its new announced reform of the unemployment insurance. Details of this have just been presented to social workers. And the Labor Minister was only telling half the truth. “Tougher when there are too many unfilled jobs”Yes, sure.
Below an unemployment rate of 9% as defined by the International Labor Office (ILO) in metropolitan France or if this rate falls consecutively for three consecutive quarters, the duration of the compensation will be reduced by 25%from 1huh February 2023, with a minimum duration of 6 months.
Thus, an unemployed person (except for intermittent show workers, seamen, fishermen, longshoremen and unemployed abroad) who would now have access to 24 months of unemployment insurance entitlement will no longer have access to more than 18 months from the entry into force of the reform.
In fact, with an unemployment rate of 7.1% in France, the current situation is considered good. This implies, in the “counter-cyclical” model of government, cutting the rights of the unemployed. The reasoning? If the labor market is dynamic and people remain unemployed it is because they take advantage of the system. A very questionable and disputed reasoning as we told you at Politics in September
More savings on the backs of the unemployed
It is important to note that the second part of the government’s claim: “More generous when unemployment is high” – is it got smoky during the presentation of this reform. Because the “generosity” shown by the government is nothing more than a return to the current situation when the unemployment rate once again exceeds 9%. However, the current unemployment insurance system is lfar from being advantageous for the unemployed
Also read> Unemployment insurance: the end of the illusion
By the end of 2021, the government had already cut it drastically by expanding the required working time for the opening of rights, and addressing the calculation of the reference daily wage (SJR) and therefore the allowance. A first reform that allows Unédic, in charge of unemployment insurance, to make significant savings.
Estimated at €2.5 billion in 2021, the surplus is projected to rise to €3.1 billion in 2023 and €4.2 billion in 2024. Savings on the backs of the unemployed, then. And since they have a good back, the new reform will continue in this direction with several billion euros in savings announcement Unedic plans at least 4!
Strongly criticized by all the unions, this new turn is, however, applauded by the employers’ representatives. For good reason, it actually takes its origin from the grunts from the heads who have been complaining of recruitment difficulties for several months.
The affected sectors, hotels, restaurants, home care, are often those where the working conditions are the hardest and the wages the lowest. But addressing any of these issues is definitely not on the government’s agenda…