Requests for access to the partial unemployment scheme have increased in France since the start of the coronavirus epidemic. Friday, 220,000 companies had asked for 2.2 million employees, said the Minister of Labor, Muriel Pénicaud.

The coronavirus epidemic is causing many French companies to idle. The use of the partial unemployment scheme had been requested Friday evening by 220,000 companies for 2.2 million employees in total, announced the Minister of Labor, Muriel Pénicaud, Sunday at the "Grand Jury RTL / Le Figaro / LCI".

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"As of Friday evening, we had 220,000 companies that had asked for partial unemployment for all or part of their employees. This is 65,000 more than the day before," said Ms. Pénicaud. The requests concerned "2.2 million workers" on Friday evening, "600,000 more" than Thursday, she added.