Journée de solidarité envers les personnes âgées
Encyclopedia
The French Journée de solidarité envers les personnes âgées (Day of solidarity with the elderly), established on June 30, 2004 under the government of Jean-Pierre Raffarin
, was one where employees work one additional day each year (a day that was previously a holiday), and one for which employers pay the state the approximate value of this day's work in increased employer charges.
The implementation of this new kind of 'worked holiday' has been complicated, and has led to some controversy over its implications for social rights.
without wage costs and social security
contributions for each employee to the State
. Estimated figures led to discussion. Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin
judged them to be satisfactory. On June the 1st, 2006, he said that benefits from that day had been "incalculable".
The difference between the two rates (0.43 and 0.23), i.e., about 0.20% of hourly cost including wage costs benefits to the State.
Monday, formerly a non-working holiday. Between 2004 and 2008, Pentecost Monday has been worked by numerous employees. Pentecost Monday is still a holiday (but a working holiday). This has been confirmed by the French Council of State on May 3, 2005.
Many people, especially from the Collectif des Amis du Lundi (CAL) activist organisation are against this law which re-establishes in France one mandatory unpaid work day. The French Council of State was consulted over the constitutional position but did not consider the law illegal.
Employer unions points of view:
Employee unions point of view:
Jean-Pierre Raffarin
Jean-Pierre Raffarin is a French conservative politician and senator for Vienne.Jean-Pierre Raffarin served as the Prime Minister of France from 6 May 2002 to 31 May 2005, resigning after France's rejection of the referendum on the European Union draft constitution. However, after Raffarin...
, was one where employees work one additional day each year (a day that was previously a holiday), and one for which employers pay the state the approximate value of this day's work in increased employer charges.
The implementation of this new kind of 'worked holiday' has been complicated, and has led to some controversy over its implications for social rights.
Initial goal
Adopted after the 2003 heatwave caused the death of nearly 15,000 people, the revenue from the law is intended to finance actions in favor of elderly people, especially to prevent risks due to excessive heat. For practical purpose, firms transfer the amount of one day of gross salarySalary
A salary is a form of periodic payment from an employer to an employee, which may be specified in an employment contract. It is contrasted with piece wages, where each job, hour or other unit is paid separately, rather than on a periodic basis....
without wage costs and social security
Social security
Social security is primarily a social insurance program providing social protection or protection against socially recognized conditions, including poverty, old age, disability, unemployment and others. Social security may refer to:...
contributions for each employee to the State
Sovereign state
A sovereign state, or simply, state, is a state with a defined territory on which it exercises internal and external sovereignty, a permanent population, a government, and the capacity to enter into relations with other sovereign states. It is also normally understood to be a state which is neither...
. Estimated figures led to discussion. Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin
Dominique de Villepin
Dominique Marie François René Galouzeau de Villepin is a French politician who served as the Prime Minister of France from 31 May 2005 to 17 May 2007....
judged them to be satisfactory. On June the 1st, 2006, he said that benefits from that day had been "incalculable".
Principle
The employer pays exactly 0.30% of employees' gross salary, which is included in employer wage costs. This amount is almost equivalent to one day of net salary. The employer does not have wage costs to pay for that working holiday (because there is no net salary for that day). Thus it results in the employer paying only half the usual rate for one working day for half price and benefits from that day. Over the course of a year, this day is almost equal to (considering a rate of 50% for employer wage costs):- an increase of 0.44% for working hours for the employee, i.e., a decrease of 0.43% for hourly wage;
- a decrease of nearly 0.23% of hour wage cost for the employer.
The difference between the two rates (0.43 and 0.23), i.e., about 0.20% of hourly cost including wage costs benefits to the State.
Amounts collected by the French State
Source :- 2005: €1,950,000,000
- 2006: €2,090,000,000
- 2007: €2,200,000,000
Implementation and reaction
In 2004, this new added working day was imposed by law to be by default on PentecostPentecost
Pentecost is a prominent feast in the calendar of Ancient Israel celebrating the giving of the Law on Sinai, and also later in the Christian liturgical year commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Christ after the Resurrection of Jesus...
Monday, formerly a non-working holiday. Between 2004 and 2008, Pentecost Monday has been worked by numerous employees. Pentecost Monday is still a holiday (but a working holiday). This has been confirmed by the French Council of State on May 3, 2005.
Many people, especially from the Collectif des Amis du Lundi (CAL) activist organisation are against this law which re-establishes in France one mandatory unpaid work day. The French Council of State was consulted over the constitutional position but did not consider the law illegal.
Employer unions points of view:
- MEDEF favors this day. In 2006, Laurence ParisotLaurence ParisotLaurence Parisot is the head of the French MEDEF employers' union since the 5 July 2005...
judged "very good" that this Monday is a working day. She judges that the States is a "not a model" by closing schools and post offices on the Slave Day. - CGPME states that the Slave Day "will create inequalities between administrations, big companies for one side, and SME/VSBVery Small BusinessVery small businesses refers to companies that are at the lower end, in terms of size, to companies that are considered small and medium enterprise. The actual definition of what size companies classify as VSBs varies from region to region, but upper limit is usually considered to be 25–50 employees...
on the other side. On the contrary of the formers, the latter will not be able to pay the contribution and to offer this day to their employees.
Employee unions point of view:
- Confédération Française des Travailleurs ChrétiensConfédération Française des Travailleurs Chrétiens-External links:*...
says that "work without wage is equivalent to mandatory forced work". - CFDT: "There will be employees' strikes against work on that day. And they are right to do so" says François Chérèque because these are "mostly employees of small company and retailingRetailingRetail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...
" which will work on that day whereas "in many places, big companies and administrations, they have been able to negotiate to keep this holiday as a non-working holiday."