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ECONOMY

Coronavirus: The measures France has taken that impact workers

As France fights what President Emmanuel Macron has dubbed “a war” against coronavirus, the government has announced a series of measures aimed at keeping its economy afloat and protect against job losses.

Published: 26 March 2020 17:40 CET
Coronavirus: The measures France has taken that impact workers
Prime Minister Edouard Philippe and Labour Minister Muriel Pénicaud. Photo: AFP

Twenty-five measures (ordonnances) in total – specifically targeting both employers and employees – will aim to lessen the negative repercussions of the epidemic on the French economy. 

“It's a novel and massive way to protect skills and businesses,” France's Labour Minister Muriel Pénicaud said as she laid out the plan to the press.

“France will go into recession this year,” Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire has previously stated.

The country went into lockdown on March 17th, with its activity level reduced to the very minimum and all sectors focused on tackling the coronavirus epidemic.

The new measures are products of the state of health emergency that the government has declared and their main goal is that, after an inevitable global and national financial downturn, France will be able to get back on its feet as quickly as possible.

Here’s a look at the main points of the temporary measures.

Temporary unemployment

The government has allowed employers to declare chômage partiel (temporary unemployment) in a bid to prevent companies laying off staff en masse. To encourage those companies, hit hard by the coronavirus crisis, making workers redundant, the state has said it will foot most of the wage bill.

According to the government over 400,000 companies representing over four million workers had applied for the status on April 2nd.

If companies qualify for “chômage partiel” their workers will get 84 percent of their net salary during the period they are not working, while those earning minimum wage (€1,219 net a month) get their whole salary reimbursed. 

The measure only covers those earning up to 4.5 times the minimum wage (€4,607.82 net a month).

The benefit (indemnité) is paid by the employer who is then reimbursed by the state. Workers on a temporary (CDD) or permanent (CDI) contract whose company hit by the crisis will be covered.

France's jobs agency website Pôle Emploi says it is up to the employer not the employee to organise the paperwork.

“At the practical level, the employee does not have to take any steps to benefit from the partial activity allowance (no registration or updating). The employer is responsible for requesting the benefit from the regional labor administration (DIRECCTE),” reads the website.

READ ALSO: Chômage partiel: How to access temporary unemployment in France

 

 

A 60 hour work week

Employers may, during the period of coronavirus crisis management, require employees to work longer than what is normally allowed in France.

This goes for all “activities especially necessary to ensure the nation’s security and the continuation of economic and social life,” the government has stated. 

An employee may now work all of 60 hours one week, compared to 48 hours previously. The maximum work day has been extended to 12 hours, while the minimum period of rest has been decreased to 9 hours. 

Those who will be affected by the new rules are employees in the sectors like energy, telecom, logistics, transport and farmers.

A mandatory holiday

Employers may impose holiday on their employees during the coronavirus emergency – six days in total.

This does not mean that the employees get six extra days of holiday this year, but that businesses can force them to take some of their annual holiday entitlement, to limit financial losses following them being unable to work. 

Only businesses that have a pre existing agreement with unions may however make use of this point. If there are no unions in the business, an agreement needs to be made with the employees.

Employers may also require that employees take their RTT days (time off in lieu for people who have worked above their agreed hours) at a certain time. 

The new government measures will open for employers to impose up to 10 such days on their employees. 

Help package for self-employed workers

Self-employed people and small business owners that lose out during the coronavirus crisis may be eligible for a €1,500 help package that they will be able to apply for soon.

For more details on what the criteria are for getting this aid package, click here.

Other social measures

Businesses and self-employed will also be able to suspend payments on rent, gas and electricity.

Mortgage holiday

There is currently no 'holiday' for people paying a mortgage, with the government saying that the measures outlined above should mean that people are able to keep up with mortgage payments.

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LIVING IN FRANCE

5 tips to have the best possible night at France’s Fête de la musique

It can be the most fun day of the year - when France goes music crazy and bands suddenly appear on every street corner - but there are some tips to make your Fête de la musique experience as good as it can possibly be.

Published: 24 June 2024 11:26 CEST
5 tips to have the best possible night at France's Fête de la musique

First, a caveat – this is an entirely personal manifesto based on the things that I have enjoyed over my Fête de la Musique outings over the years. It’s not intended as any kind of hard-and-fast rule and plenty of people will have different experiences.

Feel free to disagree and/or share your festival tips in the comments section below!

1 Ignore the big-name artists

There are always a few big-name artists or concerts in major venues on the Fête de la musique (which happens every year on June 21st).

Ignore them. Sure, stadiums gigs can be great and huge venues can have a wonderful atmosphere – but you can do that any night of the year. It’s not what Fête de la musique is about.

The true spirit of the Fête is the smaller acts who play on street corners, in bars and community venues. They’re free, you can wander between them and stay as long as you like – and there is always something else around the corner.

2 Ignore the big towns

You might think that the big cities have the best music, but if you have the choice, go for a small town or a suburb.

I’ve enjoyed some good Fêtes in Paris, but the best experiences had have been smaller towns or the Paris’ suburbs (Montreuil is good – a commune that carefully cultivates a small-town / village vibe, albeit a very diverse small town where everyone is a hippy, a leftist, or both).

It’s partly a practicality thing – in big cities the acts are spread out and you have to make plans to see something and meet up with friends. In small towns, you just wander along to the main square, then when you’ve seen the acts there, you can saunter up the side streets, each of which will have dozens of bands playing, pausing only to grab a beer and snacks.

But it’s also the vibe; in big cities you can hear good live music all the time and the population is consequently complacent – small towns truly appreciate the Fête de la musique and properly go wild.

Once, in Paris, I was watching a blues band play in the street when a woman tipped water on their heads from her apartment window because she was tired and wanted to go to sleep. Small towns appreciate it when bands play for them.

3 Experiment

There’s a lot of variety on the night, so take advantage – this is your opportunity to hear all kinds of live music from rock to swing, jazz to classical, choirs to DJs.

Didn’t think that a five-piece oud band is your thing? Fête de la musique may change your mind. It’s the night of the year when anything goes, musically, so it’s also the night to try something new.

If you hate it – well it’s free and there’s another band down the street that might be more your thing. But you might discover a lifetime passion for oud music – in fact, by this time next year you might be playing in the oud band. Thanks to the Fête de la musique.

4 Don’t insist on quality

You’ll hear some great bands, but you’ll also hear some that are more about enthusiasm – and that’s all part of the fun.

You’re going to be hearing everything from classic rock to reggae to blues to the above-mentioned five-piece oud band, and as well as the styles the quality may be variable to.

For me, the true spirit of Fête de la musique is the 50-year-old accountant rocking out on his guitar and enjoying the one night of the year when he can dream that if only he hadn’t given up on his high school band, he could now be rich, famous and selling out stadiums, as opposed to filing tax declarations in an office above the florist.

5 Dress comfortably

Some people like to dress up for the Fête and that’s great – it’s a party after all – but the key thing is to wear something that is comfortable and allows you to shake your stuff.

Yes, you will be dancing – you’ll be dancing on street corners, in parks, cafés and perhaps on street furniture if things really get going, and you’ll be dancing with kids, dapper 70-year-old gents and everyone in between.

You need comfortable shoes and clothes that you can really move in.

Dance like no-one is watching. They may be watching, but they won’t be judging. Much. It’s Fête de la musique.

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