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The government would consider reducing the cost of sick leave. The bill has increased by 8% in one year. Among the tracks, make companies pay or reduce employee compensation.
Work stoppages, up 8% in one year, are in the sights of the government. An increasingly heavy cost for public finances, not always justified according to Bercy. “This represents a total expenditure of 16 billion euros per year. There are sick leaves that are justified: that’s normal, they must be compensated. Then there are abuses. And abuses, they must be controlled, and they must be punished“, explains Bruno Le Maire, the Minister of Economy and Finance.
Concern of employers and unions
To stop the soaring cost of sick leave, the government wants to hold employers accountable. He plans to put them to financial contribution, in order to take charge of part of the work stoppages. Out of the question for Jean-Eudes du Mesnil, general secretary of the CPME. “Employers are already bearing some of the costs. (…) If it simply results in an additional financial drain on the employer, it will not solve the problem“, he believes.
For their part, the unions fear that sick leave will be less well compensated in the long term, while the rate of absenteeism is increasing, especially among young people and managers. The government could also ask for more checks on prescribing doctors. The initiative is strongly criticized by the profession.