“We want to show our gratitude to the employees whose presence at work has proved essential to ensure the economic continuity of the country. “ The Prime Minister, Jean Castex, thus announced, at the end of the third social dialogue conference, Monday March 15, the return of the Macron bonus. It was established in 2019, following the yellow vests crisis. Then renewed in 2020 to give a financial boost to employees most exposed to the coronavirus crisis: cashiers, carriers, maintenance workers, etc. But all the employees concerned had not touched it. Because the premium is at the goodwill of the employer. According to the government, some five million people benefited from it last year.
“Difficult to grant”
The granting conditions will be the same as in 2020. It will be a bonus of € 1,000 tax-exempt and exempt from social contributions. “It will be possible to increase the amount up to € 2,000 for companies and branches that will have concluded a profit-sharing agreement by the end of the year, or opened negotiations on the valuation of the businesses concerned. “, specifies Jean Castex. The bosses are divided: “It will be difficult to grant this bonus, given the situation of companies”, weighs the president of Medef, Geoffroy Roux de Bézieux. The Union of local businesses (U2P) does not share this pessimism: “This bonus would be a fair recognition of the nation for these people who continued their activities in the service of the population. “
On the side of the employee unions, we fear that the bonus offers a pretext not to increase remuneration: “We prefer an immediate increase in wages”, slice Philippe Martinez, of the CGT.
The extension of assistance for the hiring of an apprentice
Jean Castex also announced the extension until the end of the year of state aid for the hiring of an apprentice. It amounts to 5,000 € for the recruitment of a minor work-study student and 8,000 € for a major. “This represents a budgetary effort of 2.4 billion this year, calculates Jean Castex. Last year, 500,000 apprenticeship contracts were signed. “
On the other hand, the conditions for granting the bonus for hiring young people will be tightened. It amounts to € 1,000 per quarter for one year. “It will be refocused from April on wages below 1.6 Smic, specifies Jean Castex. This, in a logic of gradual withdrawal of aid. “
– .
