French employees are taking increasingly more sick go away, and with the federal government dealing with unprecedented debt, it’s probably that new Prime Minister Michel Barnier may determine to chop again when his new funds is revealed this week.
Les Echos reviews that for the primary six months of 2024, the price of French employees taking sick go away elevated by 8.5% in comparison with 2023.
France’s nationwide medical insurance, la Caisse nationale d’assurance-maladie (CNAM), predicted a €17 billion spending plan in 2024, however that determine has virtually been spent. Stoppages for greater than three months have risen by 9.5%, and sick go away attributable to work accidents is up by 11.3%. Shorter durations of sick go away will not be as excessive however nonetheless make up virtually half of the entire quantity–is France quick changing into the sick man of Europe?
Apparently, inflation and demographics don’t absolutely clarify the story. France has an ageing workforce that will get bigger day by day, however between 2019 and 2023, this solely accounted for 19% of day by day sick go away figures. It prices to maintain individuals off work so inflation additionally has a huge impact, accounting for round 39% of the rise in price since 2019.
So, we will do the maths and inflation and demographics can’t clarify the remaining 42% of prices. Individuals are happening sick go away, and extra are staying on sick go away for longer. Thomas Fatôme advised Les Echos, common director of CNAM, that it might be that extra individuals have power illness or that persons are making the most of the system.
Because the pandemic, additionally it is true that psychological well being issues have risen alarmingly, notably within the 18-24 yr outdated age group the place Le Monde reviews that one in 5 younger French individuals has a depressive dysfunction.
In France, when somebody is on sick go away, nationwide medical insurance kicks in on day 4 and pays 50% of their wage, assuming their wage is at most 1.8 occasions the minimal wage.
The French authorities is closely within the pink. Le Monde reviews that the nation’s debt reached a file €3.228 trillion, 112% of GDP when the EU units a most of 60%. Out of its European counterparts, solely Greece and Italy have a better debt-to-GDP ratio.
When Barnier delivers his draft funds this week, he must discover a technique to save €40 billion. Phrase is that he’s planning to decrease this ceiling from 1.8 to 1.4 occasions the minimal wage, a plan that would save the federal government as much as €600 million.
What would probably occur, although, is that employers can be compelled to make up the shortfall presently supplied by social safety or insurance coverage corporations. Finally, this may result in employers campaigning for a whole overhaul of the system in an try and fight the rising problems with absenteeism.
Employers might argue that it’s fairer for funds to kick in later in order that employees can be much less more likely to determine to take days off. Some wish to see the system pushed additional and make the social safety advantages kick in on day seven as a substitute of day three; this might save as much as €950 million. Neither of those methods although, would move simply via the courts with out a battle from workers and unions nationwide.
Within the meantime, the federal government will probably crack down on the individuals who have been off work for greater than 18 months (round 30-40,000 individuals) and examine the 7,000 medical doctors prescribing this form of long-term sick go away.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/7799687/apple_watch_elago_w3_stand_1.jpg?w=150&resize=150,150&ssl=1 "The 53 greatest offers underneath from Amazon’s October Prime Day")
