Employees leaving their jobs could be deprived of unemployment benefits. The National Assembly voted in this direction, Wednesday, October 5, in first reading, of the amendments carried by the deputies of the majority and right, within the framework of the examination of the bill of reform of the unemployment insurance .
Despite criticism from the left, the amendments, which specify that “an employee who has voluntarily abandoned his position and does not return to work after having been given formal notice for this purpose (…) is presumed to have resigned”were largely adopted, by 219 votes to 68.
Measure defended by the majority and the Republicans
Currently, employees who no longer come to work without justification and who end up being made redundant can benefit from unemployment insurance. A dismissal for abandonment of post constitutes in fact a dismissal for serious misconduct: it does not therefore deprive the person made redundant of his right to benefit from this protection, even if the abandonment of post is ” voluntary “.
On Wednesday, the government, through the voice of Minister Delegate Carole Grandjean, said it was in favor of a reform in this area, describing the abandonment of posts as “increasing phenomenon”. Majority MP Dominique Da Silva argued that job abandonment disrupted businesses and that it was a question of providing a measure “clear and fair” for each.
The right develops a similar argument. “We are not depriving employees of any rights. They always have the possibility of an appeal. before the industrial tribunal, argued Jean-Louis Thiériot, deputy Les Républicains (LR), to support the position of his party. He took the opportunity to criticize some left-wing elected officials “the choice of the right to laziness”in reference to the recent assertion of the ecologist deputy Sandrine Rousseau on Franceinfo, decried by the presidential camp and the right, and which relaunched the debate on the left.
The left points to the deterioration of working conditions
During heated debates in the Hemicycle, the left took issue with this phenomenon, citing cases “marginal” and pleading not to “weakening the protection of employees”, on the same line as some of the trade unions.
“What is the cause of these job abandonments? »questioned the communist Pierre Dharréville, suggesting a link with deteriorating working conditions for a growing number of employees.
The Socialists assured that the measure adopted was unconstitutional and not compatible with the standards of the International Labor Organization.
During the discussions, an amendment carried by Marine Le Pen (Rassemblement national) was, on the other hand, rejected: it provided that the refusal to accept a permanent contract (CDI) at the end of a fixed-term contract (CDD). “There are some people who cheat” by alternating CDD and unemployment benefits, and by refusing CDI, pretexted the president of the far-right group.
But the subject is not closed. The presidential camp was indeed also interested in the subject: amendments providing for the same measure, applicable after three refusals of CDI, had even been tabled by deputies Horizons and Modem. But they were withdrawn by their authors, at the request of the government, which wishes to rework the provision. In response, M.me Le Pen denounced the “government virgin modesty”.