Unemployment insurance reform: Attal announces that the decree will be published between the two rounds of legislative elections

The decree will be taken “by July 1”. MAXPPP – Alexis Sciard

The unemployment insurance reform, proposed by decree, will be published before July 1, confirmed Gabriel Attal this Thursday, June 13, 2024 morning.

Prime Minister Gabriel Attal assured Thursday on France Inter that the decree once again reforming unemployment insurance, highly contested on the left, would be well taken &quot ;by July 1". The unemployment compensation mechanism would therefore be modified right between the two rounds.

"A decree will be issued by July 1 for this reform which remains on parameters which are those which were put in place during the 2019 reform, and which above all are accompanied by& ;rsquo;better support for the unemployed in returning to employment", affirmed the head of government.

"It’is a reform which consists of saying, you will have to work eight months out of the last 20 months to receive unemployment" (compared to six months out of 24 months so far, Editor's note), he explained. On Wednesday, Emmanuel Macron said he supported the reform of unemployment insurance, while ensuring he was open about the "modalities".

Under review

A draft government decree is currently being examined by the Council of State for a reform that tightens access to compensation.

According to this decree, the duration of compensation will also be reduced, to 15 months for unemployed people under 57, compared to 18 months for those under 53 today.

The unions are up in arms against this reform which comes on top of those of 2021 and 2023: they fear increased precariousness of the unemployed, particularly among young people and seniors. Conversely, employers' organizations are in favor of the reform.

Better support for the unemployed towards employment

For the government, the aim of the reform is to encourage people to return to work, reduce the debt of unemployment insurance (the debt of which is reduced by raises to 58 billion euros) and better finance the support of job seekers by France Travail thanks to the surpluses that Unédic now generates, we explain to Ministry of Labor.

Interviewed on Sud Radio, Bruno the Mayor also confirmed this morning the publication of the decree. The Minister of the Economy mentioned a different timetable since he mentioned "after the legislative elections", then amended this date by taking note of the declaration of Prime Minister intervened immediately.