Discontent is growing among cross-border workers, who feel surrounded on all sides between the “tax disadvantages” denounced by the unions during a demonstration in front of the Ministry of Finance on Friday and the reform of unemployment benefits currently under debate in France.
While many elected officials on the other side of the border denounce the injustice of the application of a reducing coefficient for people who held their last job in Luxembourg, other points discussed, certainly less divisive, could upset some habits.
In particular the more or less widespread fraud of combining unemployment in France and new work in Luxembourg. Although the phenomenon remains difficult to quantify, it exists. “I did it several years ago, which saved me at least 10,000 euros, and no one has ever asked me for anything yet,” testifies a former cross-border worker, who, for reasons obvious, wishes to remain anonymous.
Within the negotiations between the unions and Unédic, the subject gained more consensus and also appears in the memorandum of understanding. This requires “the establishment of adequate means allowing more effective identification of undeclared resumption of employment, particularly in a neighboring State”, we learn from the body responsible for managing unemployment insurance in France.
A desire included in the second part of the proposed reform on the revision of the “reasonable job offer”, in order to oblige, in some way, former cross-border workers to accept a job equivalent to their previous job in Luxembourg or in Switzerland, despite a lower salary in France.
For the “benefit” of cross-border workers who have lost their jobs, the agreement also provides for France Travail to provide “personalized diagnostic time” and “possibly reinforced support, depending on the specific needs” of the people concerned. More support therefore, to compensate for a possible reduction in compensation, for example.
It remains to be seen whether the agreement in question will come to fruition in the coming weeks or months. On this specific point, Unédic has not made too much progress, referring to the different stages that remain to be taken. “The unemployment insurance agreement is currently subject to signature by the unions and employers’ organizations having participated in the unemployment insurance negotiations. Once the agreement has been signed by the majority of them, it will be sent to the Prime Minister for approval. Entry into force is conditional on this approval.
Considering the criticism it arouses, including among elected officials in support of the current government, nothing is less certain at this stage…
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