Employment Of Seniors

Introduction

Like most European countries, France is currently experiencing a major demographic challenge due to its ageing population. With the baby boomers now reaching retirement age and with young people entering the labor market later on in life, the French social security system is at risk. In particular, the phenomenon of population ageing threatens the equilibrium, and in the long term, the sustainability of the French pensions system, as the latter is mainly financed by social security contributions paid on income from employment. The necessity to reconcile ageing with the need for longer working lives so as to preserve the social system has led the French government to adopt a new policy designed to promote the employment of seniors. The social security finance act for 2009 imposes on certain companies that they either conclude with the staff representatives or set unilaterally an action plan aimed at extending working careers and/or increasing the