the generalization of the 15 hours of compulsory activity will only come into force in 2025

The payment of the social minimum will be conditional on 15 hours of compulsory weekly activities, but this much criticized measure will therefore not come into force immediately.

The conditioning of payment of Active Solidarity Income (RSA) to 15 hours of weekly activity will not be generalized before January 1, 2025, the Ministry of Labor and Pôle Emploi confirmed to franceinfo on Friday December 29. This measure is part of the RSA reform, as part of the government’s “full employment” law, which comes into force on Monday January 1, 2024.

For this measure to be applied, all beneficiaries must be registered with France Travail, the new Pôle Emploi, confirms the Ministry of Labor and Pôle Emploi to franceinfo. Thus, a person applying for RSA to the CAF will be simultaneously registered with France Travail, from January 1, 2025. Today, only 40% of the two million RSA beneficiaries are registered with Pôle Emploi. The measure most criticized by the left and the unions will therefore not come into force immediately.

A “suspension-remobilization” system

Everyone will have to establish and sign an engagement contract with their advisor. Depending on their profile, obligatory activities will be identified such as immersion in a company, or obtaining a permit, the objective being to bring as many people as possible into employment. The number of compulsory hours may be less than 15 hours for exceptional cases, in the event of health or custody problems. This general registration will also concern young people accompanied by local missions, or people who also receive the disabled adult allowance.

As part of this reform of the RSA, a new sanction will come into force in 2025: the “suspension-remobilization” system. If the beneficiary does not complete the scheduled activity hours, payment of the allowance will be suspended. If he honors his commitments again, the beneficiary will be able to recover his rights retroactively.

Initial feedback is “encouraging”

This “conditional” RSA has already been tested in 18 departments for a year, the experiment already concerns around 15,000 people. According to the assembly of French departments, the first returns are “encouraging”. These 18 communities received around 21 million euros from the State to help them, in particular, to recruit new advisors. Other territories must enter the experimentation process during 2024, the Ministry of Labor confirms to franceinfo, without specifying which ones or the number. A second envelope of 170 million euros is already planned for this second wave.

Still within the framework of this reform and the “full employment” law, the RSA must be revalued on April 1, 2024 by +4.6%. With this measure, the government wants to achieve full employment, i.e. an unemployment rate of around 5% in 2027, compared to 7.1% currently, by targeting people who are very far from employment.