Declining unemployment: do the many radiations at Pôle emploi distort the figures?

Barthélémy Philippe, edited by Romain Rouillard 06:05, January 27, 2023

Towards a bright spot on the employment front in France?

In any case, the figures tend to prove it.

In the fourth quarter of 2022, the number of people without activity (category A) and registered with Pôle emploi, decreased by 3.6%, which represents 114,000 fewer unemployed people.

But at the same time, the radiation took off, which could partly explain these encouraging figures. 

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In reality, the two phenomena are only partially linked.

Between October and December 2022, Pôle emploi struck off an average of 53,000 drivers per month, most often due to a missed call.

This figure – which jumped 10% over a quarter – concerns categories A, B and C, namely the unemployed without activity and in reduced activity. 

500,000 radiation in 2022 

Pôle emploi is therefore suspected of lowering the unemployment figures artificially.

What refutes Paul Bazin, deputy general manager of the operator: "Our job, that of our advisers, is to accompany towards employment, certainly not to strike off. When an unemployed person is struck off, it is not life. In most cases, it's for a month. Our conviction is that these write-offs are a marginal explanation for the evolution of the unemployment figures". 

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Radiation is in fact only the fourth reason for leaving the Pôle Emploi lists and represents only 10% of the total.

However, the rise in radiation owes nothing to chance because the operator is increasing the controls at the request of the government.

There were 500,000 in 2022 compared to 400,000 in 2019, before the health crisis.