For several years, Eurosceptics have argued that posted workers are preferred to French workers because they cost less and as proof, there are more and more of them. First of all, it is false to say that there are more and more of them. Plus, they don’t necessarily cost less.
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Less than six months before the European elections, the True or False Unit looked into the preconceived ideas and false information circulating about the European Union and its functioning. MTuesday January 2, we respond to those who wonder if there are not more and more workers posted to France and if this is not explained by the fact that they cost less than French workers.
A posted worker is an employee sent temporarily by his employer to another country of the European Union. For example, a German worker who comes to carry out missions in France. It is wrong to say that there are more and more posted workers coming to France every year. In its latest report, published in 2022, Dares, the statistical institute of the Ministry of Labor, indicated that France had on average 57,500 posted workers, compared to 72,600 in 2019, before the covid-19 pandemic. We therefore observe a 21% drop in the number of posted workers who come on assignment to France. Seconded employees represent less than 2% of employees in France and work on missions of an average of 100 days, mainly in the building sector for specialized construction work.
Not more numerous and not necessarily cheaper
Since a 2018 directive, applied since the end of July 2020, the principle is clear, concerning the remuneration of posted workers: “same job” = “same pay at the same workplace”. In addition, the French company that uses a posted worker will have to pay travel and accommodation costs. It is also false to say that these costs are deducted from the salary. On the other hand, it is important to specify that employers in France do not have to pay social security contributions for the posted worker they employ. It is in fact up to the country of origin to take care of this, in other words, a posted worker who works in France continues to be covered by the social system of his country of origin.
All countries of the European Union have applied this directive since November 2021, they have all notified the transposition of this directive into their law. In a few weeks, the European Commission plans to publish all the details on the application of this directive, country by country.
