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French workers to begin returning to offices from June 9th

Workers in France will begin returning to the office from June 9th, as the government ends its advisory on 100 percent remote working as part of the gradual reopening of the country.

French workers to begin returning to offices from June 9th
Photo: Ludovic Marin/AFP

The government has asked all employees who can work from home to do so since October, although there are allowances in place for people who find remote working difficult or impractical and there are no fines in place for people who continue to go to their workplace.

According to Le Parisien, a new health protocol will be published online next week, and will bring an end to the guideline imposing 100 percent remote working where possible.

June 9th marks the third step in France’s reopening plan when – health situation permitting – bars, restaurants and cafés will be able to open up their indoor spaces and travel from outside the EU including the USA will again be permitted.

IN DETAIL France’s plan for reopening after lockdown 

“We are giving the power back to employers and workers to determine the appropriate number of days, but this does not mean abandoning remote working,” labour minister Élisabeth Borne told the newspaper.

“This practice is still recommended in order to fight effectively against the pandemic.”

Borne advocated for a progressive return to work, and announced that employees in the public sector will transition to three days working from home, and two days in the office, from June 9th.

In the private sector, the number of days spent in the office will be decided through discussions between businesses, workers and trade unions, which are set to begin on Monday, according to Le Parisien.

“An employer who forces staff to return to the office every day from June 9th will be in violation of the protocol,” Borne added.

Speaking on France Info, Laurent Berger, head of the CFDT trade union, said it was important to ensure there is “not just a consultation, but a real social dialogue.”

“What I fear is that on June 9th it will be unilateral, companies will decide that you do two or three days of remote-working and that’s how it is, we don’t listen to the workers,” he added.

The announcement will come as a relief to many who have not seen their colleagues in months, but the experience of remote working is not something people in France are ready to give up entirely. According to the results of a survey by OpinionWay, which Le Parisien revealed on Tuesday, 8 out of 10 workers want to continue working from home between one and three days per week.

The return to the office does not mean a return to normal, either.

Preventative measures will remain mandatory, including rules on physical distancing and ventilation.

Office canteens will be limited to 50 percent capacity and must maintain a one-metre distance between seats.

Mask-wearing will remain compulsory in the workplace.

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LIVING IN FRANCE

How older people in France can get free assistance for outings

The scheme 'Sortir Plus' (Get out more) is available for some over-75s in France providing support and company for outings. Here is what you need to know and how to qualify

How older people in France can get free assistance for outings

What is it?

The programme is called Sortir Plus which translates roughly to ‘Get around more’. It aims to connect older people with a trusted person to accompany them on outings, whether that be going out on a walk, or heading to an appointment with the doctor or hairdresser, or simply going out for a meal.

The companion will be a professional, usually a home-help, and they cannot offer medical services but can provide aid, company and support on trips out.

Who can benefit?

The programme is intended for people over 75 years old who are in a ‘fragile situation’, whether that be due to isolation, age, or mobility challenges.

However, it is only available to those who worked in France in the private sector – in order to qualify, you must receive the supplementary ‘Agirc-Arrco’ pension.

You only need to have worked in France for a minimum period of three months in order to qualify, but it does not apply for former public sector employees, or to people who worked in another country and then retired to France.

What’s the Agirc-Arrco complementary pension?

Basically, France’s pension system offers a ‘base’ regime, which is what most people think of when discussing pensions. It is calculated based on the number of trimestres (quarters) you worked. 

Then there is also the ‘complementary’ regime, which works on a points system and depends on your sector. You are automatically signed up to a complementary regime when you start working in France.

READ MORE: Ask the experts: What foreigners living in France need to know about French pensions

The Agirc-Arrco complementary pension represents the vast majority of people who worked in the private sector – public sector employees have a different plan.

Similar to the ‘base’ pension system, you can qualify even if you only worked for a short period of time in France, but the amount paid out would be smaller.

If you worked in France, but you are not sure what type of ‘complementary’ pension you fall under, you can check out the website info-retraite.fr and log in using your social security number (or France Connect).

If you have worked and paid contributions for more than one trimestre in France, you will find an account set up ready for you which shows your years of contributions in France, and what pension you can expect.

The advantage of the French system is that your pension contributions are deducted automatically, even when you change jobs, and the government keeps track of it all via your social security number.

So how do I sign up for ‘Sortir Plus’?

You can start by getting in contact with an adviser by calling the phone number 0 971 090 971. You can call anytime from Monday to Friday between 8.30am and 6.30pm, excluding public holidays.

Try to call at least two days ahead of the activity you want to be accompanied to.

Then, a professional will take stock of your situation and determine whether you qualify for assistance. They will also inform you of the amount of aid you are eligible for. 

If you qualify, they will connect you with an approved professional who will come to pick you up at the date and time you requested for your activity. Depending on the situation, they may stay with you or come back to collect you afterwards.

You can also request to have the same person accompany you for future outings. The person you will be matched with is a professional – they will either be an employee of a home help or transport organisation. 

If you prefer not to call, you can also do the request online from your personal space on the Agirc-Arrco website. 

In terms of cost, you will not need to pay anything out of pocket during your outing (aside from the activity you are doing of course). The transport and accompaniment costs are covered by Agirc-Arrco and are limited to a certain amount each year.

This means that when you call to organise an outing, they will look at the amount available to you and determine if it falls under the yearly maximum.

What if I don’t qualify? Are there alternatives?

France has plenty of services to help older people, and there is a government website dedicated to the various forms of assistance available.

You can also visit your nearest point d’information local to find out about elderly care in your area. Find one in your area by entering your postcode here.

READ MORE: Explained: The help available for older people in France

If you need someone to help with daily tasks, such as meals, personal care and housework you can seek out an aide à domicile (home-help aid).

Depending on where you live, organisations that offer auxiliaires de vie (carer) services may be provided by the mairie, the centre communal d’action sociale (CCAS) or private businesses. 

Regardless of who’s providing the services, they have to be accredited by the départemental authorities.

The cost of using these services can be at least partially offset by applying for the means-tested Allocation personnalisée d’autonomie APA à domicile (APA), which is intended to help cover expenses faced by people with reduced autonomy who want to maintain an independent lifestyle, or who live with and are cared for by family members.

APA, available to over-60s, is managed and paid for by the each conseil départemental, which considers each case on its merits, with personalised care plans adapted to individual needs.

If you only need temporary help – for example if you’re recovering after an operation – you may be eligible for aide sociale, although you’ll need a doctor’s prescription. Any required short or long-term care in this case will be paid for via assurance maladie.

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