Coronavirus: the “Macron premium” is not unanimous

1000 euros for " those who have the courage to go to their place of work ". This was proposed by the Minister of Economy and Finance, Bruno Le Maire, last Friday. Using a device already in place, the famous "Macron premium" exempt from charges and taxes up to 1000 euros, the Minister therefore intends to encourage employers to reward employees who continue their activity despite the risks involved. Some companies, particularly in distribution, have already announced that they will use it. But employee representatives and employers' organizations, for different reasons, warn against systematizing this bonus.

Read also: Coronavirus: several distributors will pay a bonus of 1000 euros to their employees

Among the companies having already announced that they would pay the premium, Auchan said in a press release that " all employees of stores, warehouses, drives, home delivery services and e-commerce site " would be paid this premium lump sum.

“ It's a gratuity, a recognition , recognizes Guy Laplatine, CFDT central delegate at Auchan . But we should not fall into a system where even if an employee is sick, he must work more to get a bonus. Right now it's the health aspect that concerns us first: employees are scared when they go to work. Despite everything, we had made this request and we were heard, so we are taking note. "

The parent company of Castorama and Brico Dépôt, Kingfisher, has also announced that the 3,500 employees of its withdrawal service will receive the same bonus. Again, employee representatives are skeptical.

“ The government considers that 30,000 of our products are essential. In the food industry I can understand the need, but with us I find it hard to imagine it , explains Chrystelle Derrien, central delegate CFDT Castorama. So we have 48 Castorama drives open. The bonus of 1000 euros is perhaps linked to a lack of volunteers to work in these " drive " services . For the distribution people, who are often paid around the minimum wage, it is necessarily attractive, and there will necessarily be volunteers ”.

For its part, Medef explains that it can " only be in favor of the introduction of this premium ". The employers' organization would however like to remind Le Figaro that " this distribution of bonuses will be very difficult for very many companies that already have no cash and are fighting for their survival ". For Medef, these premiums must remain " on a voluntary basis ".

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Alain Griset, the president of U2P, an employers' organization which brings together artisans, liberal professions and local merchants, proposes in an interview at Les Echos an exemption from salary costs during the crisis " so that wages increase ", rather than a bonus that would further reduce the company's cash flow.

Contacted by Le Figaro , the National Association of HRD (ANDRH) has not yet communicated on the subject, nor listed all the sectors and companies that will set up this system.