Muriel Pénicaud recognizes "an error". “In the face of grief, we need psychological support and we will strengthen it. But there is also a need for respite. On this subject, the government recognizes an error which it intends to quickly correct ”, declared the Minister for Labor to Agence France-Presse (AFP). This declaration comes the day after a vote by the Assembly against a UDI-Agir proposal which aimed to increase from five to twelve days the leave of an employee who has just lost a child.
The Minister also committed "to find solutions in the next few days" for an extension to 12 days. The proposal had been rejected by 40 votes to 38, the majority considering in particular that the bereaved employee could benefit from days of leave offered by his colleagues.
Emmanuel Macron asks "to show humanity"
The decision had caused an uproar, from the extreme left to the employers, even arousing criticism from the head of state. Saturday, the Elysee Palace indicated that Emmanuel Macron had "asked the government to show humanity" in supporting parents facing the grief of a child.
The rapporteur Guy Bricout (UDI-Agir) had judged that five days were "not up to the task" to "get back on track following the death of a child", also calling for the "humanity" of his colleagues . He recalled that each year in France, 4,500 children die before reaching the age of majority. In response, Sereine Mauborgne (LREM) had defended the "possibility for the employer to create a donation account" of RTT, the Minister of Labor also emphasizing that the text as drafted was not based on national solidarity, but on leave "paid 100% by the company".
Words which aroused indignation in the hemicycle. "We are talking about the tragedy of tragedies," said François Ruffin of La France rebellious, denouncing a "mean" majority, while the right-wing deputy Pierre Cordier denounced a "shame". Friday morning, it was the president of Medef himself, Geoffroy Roux de Bézieux, who asked for a new vote in favor of the twelve days.
LREM MEPs "ready to vote again quickly"
Faced with this bronca, Muriel Pénicaud and the Secretary of State responsible for child protection, Adrien Taquet, had announced a "concertation" to "determine the relevant measures to support parents in the event of the loss of a child, including better organization of leave ”. The secretary of state for gender equality, Marlène Schiappa, also expressed her disagreement, telling BFMTV to wish "that there be a new vote, which is more worthy".
Will there be a further deliberation of the Assembly? Or an amendment to another text? LREM deputies, who have received numerous testimonies from often outraged parents on social networks, are "ready to vote again quickly". On Twitter, however, the macronist group asked for "a broad agreement between @gouvernementFR, businesses and parliamentary groups", "all guided by an objective of humanity".
The vice-president of LR, Virginie Duby-Muller pinned on the same social network "a coaster which illustrates once again an amateurism of the government". Bruno Retailleau, patron of LR senators, also told him that he would propose "to all the political groups in the Senate to jointly table and vote on this bill", "a question of humanity".
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The National Assembly narrowly rejects the extension of the leave for bereavement of his child
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