Tuesday 08 October 2019
Self-employed business owners have been granted a right to unemployment benefit in France, albeit bound with some tight conditions.
The right to unemployment benefit (allocation chômage) in France has thus far has been restricted to employees.
However, for many years self-employed groups have campaigned for it to be extended to them, and it became a manifesto pledge by President Emmanuel Macron in 2017.
The scope of the scheme now agreed is broad, concerning all those who run a self-employed business of what ever nature and in whatever legal form, including agricultural workers, artists and authors.
No unemployment benefit insurance contribution is payable, so the change will make no difference to the level of existing cotisations.
However, a relatively tough set of restrictions applies:
Where these conditions are met then the level of benefit is €800 per month, for up to a maximum of six months.
The new scheme is effective from 1st November 2019.
Not surprisingly, there is widespread criticism of the scheme, particularly the requirement for enforced administration/liquidation to have taken place, a process that, by itself, costs up to several thousand euros. It means that voluntary liquidation, or mere termination of an unsuccessful business, would not meet the conditions for obtaining the benefit.
In addition, for micro-entrepreneurs, the minimum income threshold of €10K is after deduction of the standard cost allowance that applies for income tax. There are also particular rules for authors and artists.
Some social security contributions may be payable on the benefit, but the details have yet to be elaborated by decree.
Delivered directly to your inbox every month
10 Nov 2020
05 May 2020
09 Jul 2020
14 May 2020
04 Sep 2020
11 Aug 2020
06 Oct 2020