France: government unveils its unemployment insurance reforms

On 18 June, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe along with Labor Minister Muriel Pénicaud presented the government’s unemployment insurance and support for employment reform axes. This forms the third of its labor market reforms and comes after its 2017 Labor Code reform ordinances and its 2018 training program strategy. These latest reforms are aim to cut unemployment by between 150,000 250,000 over three years via augmented support systems and it also aims to deliver savings of €3.4 billion between 2019-2021 primarily as a result of new compensation eligibility criteria (€2.85 billion in savings targeted here). In addition, the reform measures aim to make employers that are excessively resorting to short-term employment contracts more responsible. 
Enjoy this article for free while you’re in your trial period
You have access to our content for 1 month.

Axis 1: promoting more responsibility among businesses by way of a bonus-malus system that would aim to curtail their excessive use of short term employment contracts as an ‘HR management method,’ explained the Labor Minister. Currently in France, 70% of all hiring is done via employment contracts of less than one month’s duration, which results in perpetuating a costly system of insecurity, according to the Minister. Two measures will comprise this axis:

  • A bonus-malus system to apply across 7
Do you have information to share with us?
What you absolutely must read this week
The essential content of the week selected by the editorial team.
See all
France: Decathlon’s jobs and career management agreement aims to bolster employee experience
The news. Sport retailer Decathlon and the trade unions (CFTC and Unsa) signed a jobs and career management agreement (GEPP – Gestion des emplois et parcours professionnels) on 24 February...
Spain: employers and unions pave the way for the textile retail sector’s first collective agreement
The Spanish employers' association for major textile companies (ARTE) and two of the unions involved in negotiations (CCOO and Fetico) signed a preliminary agreement on 23 March for the sector's...
25 March 2026
France: Malakoff Humanis signs agreement for older workers offering “a la carte” end-of-career options
The social protection group Malakoff Humanis (10,500 employees in France) and trade union organisations signed a three-year agreement on 6 March dedicated to employees aged 50 and over. This...
Romania: collective bargaining stalled in the banking sector
The news. In a joint statement published on 9 March, the European trade union UNI Europa and its Romanian affiliates (FSAB and FSIF) called on Société Générale (BRD)...
Most viewed articles of the month on mind HR
What readers clicked on the most last month.
What readers clicked on the most last month.
1
Catherine Chavanier (CDC Habitat): “Social dialogue on AI facilitates its deployment”
In February, CDC Habitat (10,500 employees) signed a two-year framework agreement governing social dialogue on AI. Catherine Chavanier, HR Director of the subsidiary of CDC (Caisse des dépôts et...
2
France: La Poste to launch negotiations for an AI agreement
Following the lead of firms such as Axa, Syensqo globally, and more recently CDC Habitat, La Poste group management will open negotiations on an AI regulation agreement during the first half of...
3
France: Club Med includes “multiculturalism” in its professional equality agreement
In December 2025, Club Med and the CFTC, Unsa, and FO trade unions signed an agreement on professional equality and working conditions. It introduces measures addressing AI, pay transparency, and...
23 March 2026
4
France: bioMérieux’s new disability agreement pivots towards mental health
The news. On 6 January 2026, bioMérieux—an in vitro diagnostics specialist employing 4,400 people in France—signed a new four-year agreement “relating to the employment...
5
United Kingdom: launch of consultation on protection against detriment for industrial action
The British government launched a public consultation on 26 February regarding new protections for workers against "detriment" related to industrial action, scheduled to take effect in October...
12 March 2026
6
Germany: controversial collective bargaining compliance act adopted
On 26 February, the Bundestag approved the Tariftreuegesetz (collective bargaining compliance act), aimed at strengthening collective agreements and tackling social dumping by tying certain public...
26 February 2026