The Ministry of Labor announced Monday in a statement wanting to initiate "a reflection with the social partners" to "quickly adapt" the unemployment insurance rules in the face of the "exceptional situation" created by the coronavirus.
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The postponement of the reform requested by the unions
The unions unanimously demand, already before the health crisis, and even more since, that the government abandon its reform of unemployment insurance entirely. The entry into force of the second part has been postponed until September. The number of unemployed (category A) recorded a historic increase over one month in March (+246,100, or + 7.1%) to stand at 3,732 million, according to figures released Monday by Pôle Emploi.
At the start of the crisis, the executive suspended until September the second part of the unemployment insurance reform which hardens the calculation of the allowance for precarious workers, alternating short contracts and periods of unemployment, and which was to come into force on April 1. They are the ones who registered at Pôle Emploi in March.
No massive layoffs
Asked about the outlines of the upcoming reflection, the ministry did not wish to provide any details. "We will see what they will say, whether or not they repeal the decree" of the whole reform, reacted Michel Beaugas (FO), unemployment insurance negotiator.
The ministry argues that "unemployment is increasing because companies in the current environment are no longer hiring, but not because they are massively laying off". According to the latest score he reports, 10.8 million French people are in partial activity.