France Wants Workers To Work One Day For Free

France is considering a controversial measure to address its strained national budget, with lawmakers proposing that citizens work an additional seven hours per year without pay. 

This move, which was approved by the Senate on Wednesday, aims to generate an additional 2.5 billion euros ($2.63 billion) in revenue through increased social security contributions from employers. 

However, the proposal could still be rejected during the final stages of the 2025 budget negotiations.

The proposal, introduced by center-right Senator Elisabeth Doineau, would require workers to contribute an extra working day’s worth of hours without salary, while their employers would be obligated to make additional social security payments. 

This measure is part of broader efforts to reduce France’s budget deficit, which has worsened in recent months due to increased spending and a shortfall in tax revenues.

Initially, the government had considered eliminating a public holiday as a way to achieve similar budgetary gains. However, lawmakers were unable to agree on which holiday to scrap. In 2005, France had already removed Pentecost Monday as a public holiday to fund healthcare initiatives.

Prime Minister Michel Barnier’s government is facing increasing pressure to pass the 2025 budget, which includes plans for 60 billion euros in savings, primarily through spending cuts and tax hikes. 

While the majority of the proposed tax hikes target the wealthiest individuals and large companies, the government has also suggested reducing tax incentives for low-income workers’ social security contributions, a measure that has sparked backlash from the business community.

Corporate leaders, particularly in industries with tight profit margins, are expressing concern that these increased labor costs could have severe consequences — leading to layoffs or forcing companies to raise prices. 

The proposed labor measure comes at a time when France’s labor laws, famous for instituting a 35-hour workweek, already see workers putting in an average of 36 hours weekly, longer than many other European countries. 

Finance Minister Antoine Armand, a member of Barnier’s government, defended the proposal, arguing that a longer working week could provide an opportunity to increase social security contributions and help address the country’s fiscal challenges.

Despite the support for the additional hours, the measure faces opposition from various quarters, and its future remains uncertain as negotiations on the 2025 budget continue.