Paris (AFP)
The government will modify the rules of partial unemployment so that the workers concerned acquire "basic pension rights" from Social Security, Labor Minister Muriel Pénicaud announced on Wednesday.
"I will present tomorrow to the Council of Ministers a legislative provision which will allow the acquisition of basic pension rights during periods of partial activity," said Ms. Pénicaud in the Senate.
Currently, this allowance (84% of net salary, 100% at the minimum wage) is not taken into account by Old Age Insurance, neither for the duration of activity (paid quarters), nor for the amount of the pension. (wages of the best 25 years).
"Until now, this had little importance since the partial activity was little used, for short periods, so it did not penalize the people concerned," said the minister.
But the coronavirus and confinement have created "a completely exceptional situation, with massive partial unemployment", which affects more than 12 million workers and "which will last quite a long time in a certain number of sectors which cannot reopen right away, "she added.
Unions were moved, Dominique Corona (Unsa) fearing that it "plays on the discount at the end of career" while Frédéric Sève (CFDT) was worried for "those who make small hourly volumes, like aid to home".
© 2020 AFP