French court steps in to give temp worker job
Was she a victim of France's inflexible labour laws or simply exploited? A medical institute was told to give a permanent contract to a researcher who was laid off last year after being handed 12 separate temporary contracts.
An administrative tribunal in Nantes, western France, found that Inserm (the national institute for health and medical research), had violated French employment law for not handing a researcher a permanent contract after 11 years of loyal service.
Over that period the 32-year-old mother of two was handed no less than 12 separate temporary contracts, known as CDDs (contrat a duréé determiné) in France.
During that time was technically paid by four different bodies, despite working in the same place, with the same responsibilities, for 11 years, according to Europe 1 radio.
But instead of hiring her on a permanent CDI (‘contrat à durée indérminée’) contract, she was laid off.
However the court in Nantes ruled on Tuesday that the institute must offer her a contract on a permanent basis.
The woman, an expert in cancer research, expressed her satisfaction with the decision through her lawyer, Rémi Bascoulergue, but claimed she wouldn’t feel any relief until she had taken back her place in the institute’s laboratory, according to weekly magazine Le Point.
A 2012 law states that any public-sector employee in the same position for more than six years has the right to request a permanent contract, known in France as a CDI
CDIs are much sought-after in France, since they are often needed to apply for a loan or rent an apartment, and essentially offer workers the stability of a job without an end date.
However, companies in France often prefer to offer CDDs, partly because of the high rates of employer charges associated with CDIs.
Comments
See Also
An administrative tribunal in Nantes, western France, found that Inserm (the national institute for health and medical research), had violated French employment law for not handing a researcher a permanent contract after 11 years of loyal service.
Over that period the 32-year-old mother of two was handed no less than 12 separate temporary contracts, known as CDDs (contrat a duréé determiné) in France.
During that time was technically paid by four different bodies, despite working in the same place, with the same responsibilities, for 11 years, according to Europe 1 radio.
But instead of hiring her on a permanent CDI (‘contrat à durée indérminée’) contract, she was laid off.
However the court in Nantes ruled on Tuesday that the institute must offer her a contract on a permanent basis.
The woman, an expert in cancer research, expressed her satisfaction with the decision through her lawyer, Rémi Bascoulergue, but claimed she wouldn’t feel any relief until she had taken back her place in the institute’s laboratory, according to weekly magazine Le Point.
A 2012 law states that any public-sector employee in the same position for more than six years has the right to request a permanent contract, known in France as a CDI
CDIs are much sought-after in France, since they are often needed to apply for a loan or rent an apartment, and essentially offer workers the stability of a job without an end date.
However, companies in France often prefer to offer CDDs, partly because of the high rates of employer charges associated with CDIs.
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.