The extension of the waiting period for work stoppages “is not a saving for companies”, deplores the vice-president of the CPME Éric Chevée

Extension of the waiting period for work stoppages “is not a saving for businesses” deplores Éric Chevée, vice-president of the Confederation of Small and Medium Enterprises (CPME) in charge of social affairs, on franceinfo Sunday March 31. According to information from La Tribune on Sunday, confirmed by franceinfo, the government plans to extend by several days the waiting period at the start of a work stoppage, currently set at three days, for private sector employees.

These three days of waiting are not compensated by Health Insurance. On the other hand, a majority of companies subscribe to a pension contract which “takes over before Health Insurance”explains Éric Chevée. “Of the 18 to 19 million employees in France, there are only 2 million who are not covered by this type of welfare contract, which is either a company agreement or a sector agreement”he specifies.

Consequently, “if we extend the waiting days, obviously the insurance contributions will increase for companies and that could result in very heavy bills”, underlines the vice-president of the CPME. According to him, this would cause “extremely significant costs” : “We are talking about exceeding the billion [d’euros en matière de cotisations].”

This is why the CPME rather recommends a “lack of public order” if the time limit for receiving compensation from Health Insurance must be extended. In this case, “no one pays back” these waiting days, neither Health Insurance nor the pension contract. “This is the way to make stakeholders responsible on the subject”estimates Éric Chevée who assures that there is “a certain number of comfort work stoppages” in French companies.