A summary of the pension reform was presented recently and the government is obviously moving forward with soft steps. “There is nothing at the moment, the government is not revealing itself,” breathes a trade unionist quoted by Capital. However, here are the main feedbacks on the first rounds of discussion.
Employers’ organizations have asked for exemptions from social security contributions or hiring aid to encourage companies to recruit seniors. But this measure is not supported by the unions. The idea of a sanction in the event of dismissal was also put forward.
But none of these reforms has the backing of the government, because these tracks “must still be investigated in order to guarantee the stability of the labor market and not to weaken the financing of Social Security”.
On the other hand, the Minister of Labour, Olivier Dussopt, was in favor of pooling between companies the cost of taking charge of occupational diseases or incapacities.
As for the age of compulsory retirement, it could be shortened to 67 years. It is 70 today, i.e. an employer can automatically retire an employee over this age.
A measure in favor of senior job seekers is also under study: maintaining part of the unemployment benefits of a senior who accepts a less well paid job. But here too, the government does not seem to be in favor of this reform.
This proposal from the Ministry of Labor is modeled on the model that already exists for gender equality. There would be, in the company, a minimum rate of seniors to keep as hired, but several trade unions and employers’ organisations, Medef in the lead, have expressed reservations about this reform.
In its summary document, quoted by Capital, the government notes that “this tool cannot be built in a uniform way and should become an object of social dialogue, sector of activity by sector of activity”. Could phased retirement be a solution?
This system allows you to reduce your salaried activity by starting to receive part of your retirement pension. It is still poorly known. What the government confirms: this tool must “be better known and more easily mobilized”.
The social partners would like to make better use of gradual retirement, the government seems to want to slow down: “Gradual retirement is a false good idea that we have been dragging around for a long time”, regrets to Capital Bruno Chrétien, president of the Institute of Social Protection.
“In real life, no one adheres to this system: companies who fear that in gradual retirement, the employee will drop out, and employees, who want to date their retirement rights at a given time, which explains why they rather favor the combination of employment and retirement”, he concludes with our colleagues.
