The Covid-19 pandemic has had many impacts on our lives, but also on our economy. With the successive confinements and the resulting sanitary restriction measures, many sectors of activity are in crisis. Within a year, short-time work spread like wildfire. And economists predict waves of job cuts in the coming months, especially among those over 50. A situation that risks having serious consequences on the aid received by future unemployed … Indeed, on March 30, 2021, the Official newspaper unveiled the decree implementing the new unemployment insurance reform. From July 1, the amount of allowances for more than one million precarious workers will experience a significant drop, by 17% on average. But as reported Capital, Monday April 12, some job seekers will be penalized more that others.
Government admits problem in recalculation of benefits
Contrary to what is provided for by the unemployment insurance currently in force, the new calculation of the daily reference wage (SJR) will soon take into account a certain number of days not worked. Beneficiaries will therefore be severely penalized if they have benefited from maternity leave, sick leave of more than 15 days or partial unemployment, in the last 24 months. The amount of their aid could thus be reduced by a third. This is what Unedic (National Interprofessional Union for Employment in Industry and Commerce) recently understood through a study commissioned by Force Ouvrière, and published by The echoes.
Faced with the anger of the unions, the Ministry of Labor – through the general delegate for employment and vocational training, Bruno Lucas – decided to send a letter to Unedic on Tuesday, April 13. In this letter, Elisabeth Borne’s teams admit that the reform of unemployment insurance presents a problem of equity and say they are ready to rectify the situation. The Ministry of Labor is therefore examining the changes that would be necessary to “correct these unwanted effects ”.
The unions are waiting for the government to take a turn. As reported France Info, they plan to file appeals before the Council of State if nothing is done by mid-May. “In the six months that the Ministry of Labor has been alerted to this particular situation, we have never had a response, so better late than never. But that does not solve the basic problem. Unemployment is increasing, poverty is increasing, and who is it? On those who need it most. It’s a super unfair reform”, lamented the secretary general of the CGT, Philippe Martinez.
Read also : Senior unemployment: 6 tips to limit its impact on retirement