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People looking for work followed by this new organization, to which RSA beneficiaries will be automatically registered, will have to complete at least 15 hours of weekly professional integration activity.
It is one of the government’s new tools to achieve its objective to reduce unemployment to 5% by the end of the five-year term. In accordance with the law for “full employment” adopted in November, Pôle emploi will become France Travail from Monday January 1, 2024. With this new public operator, the government intends strengthen monitoring of people furthest from employment.
In addition to changing the name of the organization, the reform creates an “engagement contract” which will require people registered with France Travail to carry out at least 15 hours of professional integration activity per week. In total, the cost of this transformation will amount to between 2.3 to 2.7 billion euros over the period 2024-2026, depending on a report published in April. Franceinfo takes stock of the main changes brought about by the creation of France Travail.
The objective is to better coordinate the monitoring of job seekers
France Travail will retain the missions of Pôle emploi and will be integrated into an “employment network” with the local missions, which support young people, Cap emploi, the contact for disabled workers, as well as the State services and local authorities. This network will have the mission of better coordinating these different actors in monitoring job seekers and people experiencing integration difficulties.
The government’s project initially aimed to establish a system for sharing information between the different organizations in the network. This provision was, however, challenged by the Constitutional Council which considered that“no guarantee” did not make it possible to supervise these transmissions of “personal data, including of a medical nature”.
RSA beneficiaries will have to complete hours of compulsory activity
The law plans to generalize the registration of unemployed people with France Travail by 2025 at the latest. In addition to job seekers previously registered with Pôle emploi, this includes young people and people with disabilities requesting support from local missions or Cap emploi. RSA beneficiaries will be automatically registered upon submission of their benefit request. Until now, of the 2 million active solidarity income recipients, 40% were registered with Pôle emploi. The law also provides for the registration, if necessary, of the spouses of the beneficiaries.
All job seekers registered with France Travail will be subject to a “global diagnosis” and will sign a “employment contract” which must define a “action plan specifying the objectives of social and professional integration”, according to the law. Concretely, this contract will involve hours of activity dedicated to training or integration. “It’s neither free work nor volunteering”said the Minister of Labor during the debates in the Assembly.
The law sets a obligation of at least 15 hours of activity per week. However, this minimum duration may be lowered depending on the situation of the signatory. Some may be completely exempt, in the event of health problems for example. “VSThis duration must be adapted to the personal and family situation of the person concerned and limited to the time necessary for the required support, without being able to exceed the legal duration of work in the case of salaried activity.reminds him Constitutional Council.
The government plans to strengthen controls
With the implementation of this new monitoring, the government wants “double” the number of job search checks. “There are 500,000 per year today”estimates Olivier Dussopt in The echoes. “We can concentrate and strengthen them on job seekers who have completed qualifying training and would not have accepted a job corresponding to the outcome”says the Minister of Labor.
“It is normal to strengthen controls to ensure that once training has been provided, there is an effective job search process.”
Olivier Dussopt, Minister of Laborin “Les Echos”
In addition, the number of applicants “short and operational training before employment” is expected to grow by 25% in the first half of 2024. At the same time, “we are going to increase by 50% the objective set at Pôle emploi for the number of companies contacted to help them recruit”adds Olivier Dussopt.
New sanctions will be created for recipients
In the event of non-compliance with the employment contract, job seekers may be removed from France Travail. The minimum and maximum periods of deregistration as well as the sanction of suspension of unemployment benefits will be specified by decree, specifies the site Vie-publique.fr.
The law introduces a new system of graduated sanctions for RSA beneficiaries if they refuse to sign an “engagement contract” or if they do not respect its conditions. Initially, payment of the allowance may be suspended. The amount not collected during the suspension will be paid to the beneficiary as soon as he again complies with his commitments. The senators, however, limited the amount that can be paid retroactively to three months of RSA.
In the event of more serious breaches, such as repeated non-compliance with the contract or refusal to submit to controls, they will be exposed to withdrawal of the allowance. The maximum portion of RSA that can be suspended or eliminated will be detailed by decree.