Baptiste Morin / Photo credit: VALERIE DUBOIS / HANS LUCAS / HANS LUCAS VIA AFP 14:10 p.m., September 27, 2023

While parliamentarians are preparing to work on the draft law on the financing of social security, the government recommends, in order to save money, a limitation of unjustified work stoppages. Two measures have been put on the table, but they should only bring in a few tens of millions of euros, not much more.

They are in the sights of the executive and will be one of the key points of the social security financing bill. The government wants to limit unjustified work stoppages through two measures included in this PLFSS that parliamentarians are preparing to peel.

The first is to limit sick leave decided by teleconsultation, which may not exceed three days. A prolonged shutdown will require a physical examination. The second aims to strengthen controls with a possible suspension of compensation.

No major economic gains

Today, it is the health insurance that decides these home checks and the State wants employers to be able to apply for them from 2024. "There are very very few controls undertaken by employers and the working hypothesis that is issued by the authorities is to consider that, certainly, this work of responsibility for work stoppages is indeed the responsibility of the health insurance, but that this work of responsibility can also be carried out by employers and in particular by the medical controllers", says Raymond Lemoine, Chief of Staff to Aurélien Rousseau, Minister of Health.

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However, these measures are not expected to provide significant economic gains by 2024, says Bercy. Surprisingly, of the €3.5 billion in savings requested from social security next year, these measures on work stoppages will not bring much, perhaps a few tens of millions of euros, but little more. For Bercy, symbolism and message matter more.