Does France have the highest level of partial unemployment, as Muriel Pénicaud says?

THE QUESTION. To date, in France, some 586,000 companies have appealed to “ partial unemployment ” and 6.3 million employees are to benefit from the system put in place by the government from mid-March. It is therefore one in four employees in the private sector who is currently concerned, said Muriel Pénicaud, the Minister of Labor, on Tuesday. Heard by videoconference by the Senate, she estimated that " we are the only country to be at this level of partial unemployment ".

Read also: Does a month of confinement really cost 3% of France's annual GDP?

While all European states, but also the United States and China long before, resort to job rescue plans and financial aid for their employees in distress, is France really at the forefront in this domain ?

CHECK. Muriel Pénicaud's formulation is obviously surprising to say the least. Have we heard a minister boast of the high level of unemployment in his country, even if he was " partial "? In fact, only financial analysts have ever

This article is for subscribers only. You still have 84% to discover.

Subscribe: € 1 the first month

cancellable at any time

Already subscribed? Log in