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Factsheet for measure FR-2020-12/478 – Updated – measures in France
Country | France , applies nationwide |
Time period | Temporary, 15 March 2020 – 31 December 2021 |
Context | COVID-19 |
Type | Legislations or other statutory regulations |
Category |
Income protection beyond short-time work
– Income support for unemployed |
Author | Frédéric Turlan (IRshare) and Eurofound |
Measure added | 10 April 2020 (updated 30 July 2021) |
On 19 March, the government has announced exceptional support measures for intermittent entertainment workers (which corresponds to a special status allowing workers in the entertainment sector to access unemployment compensation between two short-term employment contracts) and employees in the cultural sector in the context of the health crisis. The aim is not to penalize those who receive unemployment benefit and risk losing it during the pandemic, as well as those who no longer acquire rights to unemployment insurance due to the cessation of all activities in the cultural and performing arts sector. This measure has been adopted through the Ordonnance No. 2020-324 of 25 March 2020.
In order to limit the social impacts of the health crisis linked to the COVID-19 epidemic, which particularly affects intermittent workers in the entertainment sector (performers and seasonal workers) and other employees (short contracts, etc.) in the cultural sector, the government has decided to neutralise the period starting on 15 March and ending at the end of the confinement of the French population for:
The following updates to this measure have been made after it came into effect.
31 May 2021 |
The transcription of the announcement made on 11 May 2021 (see previous update) have been set in the law 2021-689 of 31 May 2021 (see source section). The law allows the government to take measures until 31 August to extend, by ordinance, the duration of unemployment compensation for intermittent workers in the entertainment industry who have exhausted their rights. The end of the "white year" scheme allowing intermittent workers to continue receiving compensation since 1 March 2020 was set for 31 August 2021 and should be postponed by the announced ordinance to 31 December 2021. |
11 May 2021 |
On the occasion of the National Council of the Entertainment Professions (Conseil national des professions du spectacle, CNPS) meeting on 11 May, the Ministers of Labour and Culture detailed, in a press release, the follow-up to be given to the 'blank year' scheme for entertainment workers. Firstly, it will be extended by four months, until 31 December 2021 instead of 31 August 2021. In addition, in view of their situation on that date, intermittent workers will be able to benefit from three safety nets in 2022, namely an extension of the period of affiliation beyond 12 months within the limit of their last opening of rights, a temporary suppression of the conditions of eligibility, as well as adjusted terms of the professionalisation and solidarity allowance (Allocation de professionnalisation et de solidarité). According to the ministry of Labour, 'these measures will allow those who, due to insufficient periods worked, would not be able to renew their benefit entitlements to benefit from access to an allowance throughout 2022' explains the ministry's statement'. |
According the last data available, 192,907 workers were employed under the status of "intermittents du spectacle" between April and June 2019.
On 18 March, the trade union SFA-CGT (Syndicat français des artistes interprètes - CGT) estimated that more than 15,000 performers were deprived of work and income.
Workers | Businesses | Citizens |
---|---|---|
Employees in standard employment
Workers in non-standard forms of employment |
Does not apply to businesses | Does not apply to citizens |
Actors | Funding |
---|---|
National government
Public employment service |
National funds
|
Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:
Trade unions | Employers' organisations | |
---|---|---|
Role | Consulted | Consulted |
Form | Consultation through tripartite or bipartite social dialogue bodies | Consultation through tripartite or bipartite social dialogue bodies |
Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:
If the first decisions have been taken only through some informal bilateral discussions between the ministry of Labour, the Ministry of Culture and the social partners of the live performance, have held several meetings to adapt and complete the first set of measures. The last updated measures to support the intermittent workers within the industry sectoral-level dialogue have been decided during a tripartite committee (Conseil national des professions du spectacle, CNPS).
Even the measure is decided by the government, representative social partners on sectoral level have been consulted by the Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of Culture, before the announcement of temporary adjustment of the specific unemployment scheme of the "intermittents" of the live performance and audiovisual sector.
This case is sector-specific (only private sector)
Economic area | Sector (NACE level 2) |
---|---|
J - Information And Communication | J59 Motion picture, video and television programme production, sound recording and music publishing activities |
R - Arts, Entertainment And Recreation | R90 Creative, arts and entertainment activities |
R91 Libraries, archives, museums and other cultural activities |
This case is not occupation-specific.
Citation
Eurofound (2020), Exceptional support measures for intermittent workers and employees in the cultural sector, measure FR-2020-12/478 (measures in France), EU PolicyWatch, Dublin, https://static.eurofound.europa.eu/covid19db/cases/FR-2020-12_478.html
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