Monday March 15, 2021, Jean Castex announced the renewal of the "Macron bonus" in 2021. However, this good news must be qualified.
The famous "Macron prime" is making headlines again. Jean Castex announced at the social dialogue conference on Monday, March 15, 2021, the renewal of this device, which came into being at the end of 2018 in the midst of the yellow vests crisis, reminder West France.
A bonus, but for whom?
This exceptional bonus for purchasing power, known as the "Macron bonus", is tax-exempt and without social contributions. It may be paid to all employees. Its amount can go up to 1,000 euros. "It will be possible to increase the amount up to 2,000 euros for companies and branches that will either have concluded a profit-sharing agreement by the end of the year, or have opened negotiations on the valuation of second-line businesses. ", added the Prime Minister. However, the "Macron bonus" remains optional. It is therefore the employer who has the last word. Financial assistance will be based on a "targeting level", negotiated with the social partners and "focused on low wages". In 2019 and 2020, the bonus targeted a salary that did not exceed 3 times the minimum wage. The Ministry of Economy and Finance noted at the time that "the amount of the premium can be adjusted according to the beneficiaries depending on the working conditions linked to the Covid-19 epidemic". The State also wants to encourage the payment of the premium to workers known as "second line". An exceptional bonus of 1000 euros tax-free of which the workers of the 'second line' will have to be the privileged beneficiaries could be paid by the employers. It is the fair recognition of their commitment to ensure the economic continuity of the country ", can we read on Jean Castex's Twitter, March 15, 2021.
According to Capital, out of 25 million French employees, only 6.2 million had received a "Macron bonus" in 2020. And the amounts were of the order of 400 euros and not 1000 euros … For the Medef the bonus is a "disillusionment" because "companies have had their worst year and many will struggle to pay it", report BFMTV.