The success of the government's partial unemployment scheme cannot be denied. " We have requests from nearly a million companies for 12.1 million employees ", on May 6, announced this Wednesday the Minister of Labor, Muriel Pénicaud. The government representative added that the peak would soon be reached, and that the decline should begin soon.
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For the majority of companies, gradually, the rate will drop little by little, according to a " route " announced soon but which should be progressive and " reasonable ": " the goal is to have no break, " said Muriel Pénicaud, adding that partial unemployment would accompany this return to work. However, the partial unemployment scheme will remain active at full rate for all sectors which will not be able to “ restart immediately ” on May 11, being “ struck by administrative prohibition ”. This is particularly the case for " hotels and restaurants, events and other nearby sectors ". These sectors will be able to benefit from it "how long it will take and depending on when we can reopen, "said the Minister. Similarly, in May, if a parent cannot return to work because the school has not reopened or if he does not wish to send his child there, he may benefit from partial unemployment. A possibility which will remain active " during the running-in of all schools ". The government will decide, at the end of May, if this device should be renewed in June.
Changes in requests for partial unemployment Ministry of Labor, Le Figaro
" The priority is that people go back to work "
The member of the government also returned to the proposals for the organization of working time put forward in recent weeks, in particular by the Medef and the Montaigne Institute. " There are already many possibilities in the law, " she said, adding that the question of working time was " not the problem of the day ". " The priority is that people go back to work ." The social dialogue already provided for by law will allow companies in need of extending working hours, said Muriel Pénicaud: " let us already use all the possibilities of the law and social dialogue ", she concluded on this point. .
In addition, Muriel Pénicaud recalled that the law did not impose an obligation of result on employers, in the context of the protection of its employees. Nevertheless, an obligation of means exists. Part of the employers' concern on this point is therefore " not founded in law ", she reacted, before clarifying that her teams were currently studying this file: " the idea is not to mitigate their liability, but clarify it, ”she said.
Some details were also given on telework, which today concerns " 5 million French people " and some of which are highlighted by recent studies. " Teleworking, since the 2017 ordinances, is a right, but not on any condition, " warned the minister. The government will publish, by the end of the week, a " special guide " on teleworking, intended for businesses that do not know how to organize it. He should in particular recall what the law says on this point.
Responding to an auditor, the minister was also open to the idea of extending the rights of unemployed workers who reach the end of rights in May. " We extended the rights from March to April, from April to May, and if necessary, we will do so in June, " she said.