Control of the unemployed: Gattaz's proposal is controversial

It is one of those little phrases which Pierre Gattaz has secret, pronounced at turn of a flood of classical demands of employers, but which has effect of provoking controversy. At a press conference, President of Medef estimated, on Tuesday, 17 October, that a "daily or weekly control" should be exercised on jobseekers. "Unemployment insurance is an indispensable tool for securing employees in transition, but system needs to be an incentive to resume employment and actually help to find a job," he argued. and add, "it does not have to give a fictitious comfort that causes even more difficulties when it ends."

His statements, which intervened at very moment when Government was preparing to engage in a dialogue with social partners on reform of unemployment insurance, had triggered strong reactions. On social network Twitter quickly fuse word sharp "do your Gattaz", which invites users to make control proposals judged outrageous.

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"In a discussion, nothing should be excluded," said Wednesday, Christophe Castaner, government spokesman, after Council of Ministers. While considering that President of Medef was "legitimate" to ask this question, he confided that "one can imagine quite easily that he may not have success he expects". "It is thought that it is more useful to accompany daily job seekers than to police m every day," says Véronique Descacq, number two of CFDT.

At Medef, it is explained that issue is not in frequency of audits. "Control, that does not mean sanction, justifies in entourage of Mr. Gattaz." Businesses, citizens, are controlled every day. The problem, continues same source, is that operation of system would be opaque: we do not know what people registered at job pole do. It is not normal for m to put in an average of seven months before entering training. It is necessary to open this black box, to establish a relevant and targeted control system. »

Poorly applied provisions

At present, unemployed are required to perform "an active, practical and justifiable job search through evidence". If y push back "twice without a legitimate reason for a reasonable offer", y are likely to be struck off lists and lose ir allowance.

Experience has shown, however, that se provisions have not been applied. After an experiment launched in 2013 in several regions (Franche-Comté, Poitou-Charentes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'azur), employment sector has generalized, two years ago, control of job search, with teams of advisors exclusively Turned to this mission. The balance sheet of this device is still underway at this point. "The results are being asked emphatically," says Ms. Descacq. But it seems that implementation of this measure has taken place without any significant problems. In spring, national Ombudsman said that he had not been seized of any claims relating to a radiation following a control.

During presidential campaign, Emmanuel Macron had promised to strengn control of unemployed at employment pole, increasing (from 200 to 1 000) number of officers responsible for se checks.

Pierre Gattaz's statements are very risky, Judge Bertrand Martinot, former general delegate for Employment and vocational training. It is not possible to immerse people who are registered in a job in an environment where control is daily. In addition, fact of verifying that unemployed are looking for a job is something difficult and costly in human resources. For him, problem could only be "incidental" if system was "well designed and sufficiently incentive". In or words, if terms and level of compensation did not lead some job seekers to remain unemployed rar than to resume an activity.