Academic issue, second week

Human Resources

We started the second week with Module II "Human Resources" by Professor Steve Krause.

The class with the Professor Steve Krause

It was enriching to know their labor laws and to identify similarities and differences we have with Mexico.

Wages are fixed on mutually agreed by the employee and the employer. Most companies pay wages either in December or in June or both, because of their holiday periods. These wages are included in the gross annual salary (called the 13th and 14th salary). The profit sharing and performance bonuses are becoming more common in France.

Salaries are usually paid at the end of each month. As an employee you will receive your net pay (salaire net) due to deductions for:

Social Security: as the CSG (supplementary contribution to help the underprivileged) and CRDS (Contribution to repay social security)
Optional Charges: as mutual insurance contributions, pension contributions or life insurance
Mandatory contributions are around 20 to 25% of your gross salary. Your payment of wages not deducted on income imposed (so do not spend it all). You make your tax yy pay for them (unlike many countries where the pattern will automatically deducted).

Some points on the salary.
In France, no guarantee minimum wages called the SMIC (minimum wage Minimum Interprofessionnel of Croissance). No one can earn less than this amount. The gross SMIC is € 7.19 (1/7/2003 - 30/6/2004), lower taxes (at this level about 23%). The SMIC is reviewed annually on July 1.
Some jobs and professions have collective bargaining agreements. These contracts generally specify wage levels, picture of sickness absence, irregular working hours (as nocutrno, Sundays and holidays).
Companies are required to engage in annual payments. Depending on the size of the company and the sector in which it operates, this process may take several forms, from individual arrangements to negotiations with unions.
There is much work legislation for women and minorities. This has a positive effect and compared to France with other members of the EU in this area. As elsewhere, there is still concern about discrimination and is not unknown.
Business hours
Working hours in France legally must be 35 hours per week. as with many things, as with many things, the legislation supporting this is not as simple as it seems. This controversial framework proposed by the leftist government in 2000, but the law went into effect shortly after and have been busy changing things. For now, the concept is under observation. The practical impact of small companies have been minimal, especially for executives.

The law of 35 hours applies to all employees, except those with special working conditions, as marketers, executives, managers of limited liability companies, domestic workers and janitors. There are other exceptions, but those who benefit most are employed with little Responsibility and large companies.

35 hours are not a must máxicmo for a week of work, but a point of reference for the payment of overtime. As this is a guide, companies are free to introduce schemes halftime. Some professions and industries perform collective bargaining.

The payment of overtime, are negotiated in collective agreements, but must be paid with a value of at least 10% extra / hour. In case of no agreement, overtime is paid at an extra the first 8 hours 25% and then 50% bonus. Until the end of 2005, companies with fewer than 21 employees to have any agreement, overtime will be paid extra 10% for the 1st 4 hours.

The work week is Monday through Friday. Working days depend on the company, industry, corporate culture, size and location in France. Working hours are usually from 8:30-9:30 at 17:30 to 19:00. Regularly there an hour for lunch, but there is a tendency to take less time to go out to eat before.

The introduction of the 35 hours law has led companies to be more flexible about working hours. Some have implemented an 8-hour freeing Friday afternoon, while others take the time from 10:00 to 16:00 for business hours and leave time for people. Administrative jobs tend to be more flexible, leaving that start working at 10 or later, longer meals and end at 20:00 to 21:00 or later.

Annual leave (Congés annuels)
France is very good country to work in the case of holidays and leave. Each employee is allowed to miss two and a half days with pay per month worked. This basically gives them five weeks of vacation a year (because Saturday is not considered on the weekdays), which has to be taken during a specific period or with the consent of the employer (sometimes the holiday must be taken after one year working.

Vacation days are accrued annually the period from June 1 to May 31, for later use in the following period. Officially, this means that if you start working on April 1, you can take just 5 days off in the period from June 1 to May 31 (ie 2.5 days per month April and May). Five days of holiday work period of 14 months! Some employers are flexible and this may be a good idea to negotiate contract terms. Normally flexibility means taking days in advance. i.e. come from your days off from future periods.

The following count as a work period: paid time off, compensatory time off for overtime, RASONES free for family, working suspension of work accidents or illness, pregnancy, adoption, by training and periods of military service days.

There are some limitations on about days off, such as:

should not exceed 24 hours
employees should take at least 12 business days in one main holiday period
holiday periods longer than 12 days must be divided by the employer with the approval of the employees
the fifth week of days should be taken separately from the main holiday
In addition, employees can receive some extra days off if you take a fraction of the main holiday outside the period from 1 May to 31 October: an extra day if the hard fraction of 3 to 5 days and two days Extra if this fraction is 6 days or more.

The holidays are traditionally taken in August. This month is sacred in France and the country is paralyzed precticamente (eg season is not good to send resumes). Some companies even officially closed and you will find many small shops, restaurants and local service providers are closed (except the tourist area).

In some companies, the adoption of the 35-hour workweek was managed as a system extending the stay, which are referred to as RTT (Réduction du temps de travail). This is very significant (eg up to 15 days off a year!) But the company regularly decides when can these be taken. Regularly in August, the last week of December, or when the workload of the company is low due to the season or to other fluctuations.

Some companies (especially large ones) allow additional vacation days depending on the seniority of the employee in the company (ancienneté) and / or additional days off during Christmas or Easter. However, many of these privileges today are limited or no longer exist, as companies adjust to the reduced hours of work per week.

The right to additional days off birth occurs in cases of a child, death of a close relative, spouse or moving house. The number of days and conditions depend on the employee.

If you've worked for the same company for over 10 years, you can request a sabbatical (année sabbatique). This of course is without pay, but keep your social insurance coverage and the right to return the company to a position or equivalent.

Maternity leave of absence (Congé of maternité)
All mothers are licensed to miss at least 16 weeks of maternity leave with pay. Up to 6 weeks to be missing prenatal leave (prenatal repos). which is taken before the date estimata (the présumé date) and the rest as post natal leave (postnatal repos). You can choose to shorten the permit, but 8 weeks (six of which are postnatal) are required. After the third child, an employee may request a leave of absence for longer maternity: 8 weeks before the expected date and 18 weeks later. If the birth date is delayed, the permit is automatically extended absence prenatal, postnatal but remains the same.

During the maternity leave of absence, employees are paid social security service. Most companies have collective agreements (conventions collectives) who continue concerning the payment of wages by the employer during this period.

Paternity leave of absence (Congé of paternité)
All new parents have this right for 11 days (18 in the case of having twins or more!) The permit must be taken on consecutive days within 4 months poosterior birth. The employer shall be informed one month in advance. This can be combined with the 3-day permit from childbirth.

Leave of absence due to illness (Arrêt de travail pour maladie)
A doctor may prescribe a leave of absence due to illness issuing a way for this (un avis d'arret de travail). The employee must complete this form and send it within 48 hours at:

social security agency (sections 1 and 2 of the form of leave of absence due to illness.)
pattern, or the Pole Emploi office in case of unemployment (section 3)
Employees on sick leave of absence are required to:

stop working while they recover
comformase with time allowed to leave the house (specified by the doctor; regularly 10:00 to 12:00 and 16:00 to 18:00 every day)
Holidays (Jours ferries)
There are 11 holidays in France:

January 1, New Year (Nouvel an, Jour de l'An)
Easter Monday in March or April (Lundi de Pâques)
1 May, Labour Day (Fête de travail)
May 8, VE Day - End of World War II 1945 (Fête de la liberation)
Ascension Thursday, the sixth Thursday after Easter, usually in May (Ascension)
Whitsun (Pentecost), the second Monday after Ascension, Pentecost in May or June)
July 14, Bastille Day (Fête Nationale)
15 August, Assumption (Assomption)
November 1, Day of all saints (Toussaint)
11 November, 1918 Armistice Day (Fête de l'Armistice)
December 25, Christmas Day (Noël)
When holidays fall on a Tuesday or Thursday to employees are allowed to take the bridge faire un pont and Monday or Friday off and make take longer to week (closed many companies these days).