Editing Module:COVID-19 pandemic in France (section)

=== Unemployment ===
President Macron announced on 12 March 2020 that companies could postpone the payment of social security contributions and taxes due in March without justification, formalities, or penalties. An "exceptional and massive" mechanism of state-funded furloughing (partial lay-offs) was envisaged.<ref name="echos12m">{{cite web |title=Coronavirus : ce qu'il faut retenir de la journée du 12 mars |url=https://www.lesechos.fr/monde/enjeux-internationaux/en-direct-jeudi-12-mars-coronavirus-le-point-sur-la-situation-en-france-et-dans-le-monde-1184455 |work=[[Les Echos (France)|Les Échos]] |location=France |date=12 March 2020 |access-date=13 May 2020 |archive-date=8 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200508143633/https://www.lesechos.fr/monde/enjeux-internationaux/en-direct-jeudi-12-mars-coronavirus-le-point-sur-la-situation-en-france-et-dans-le-monde-1184455 |url-status=live }}</ref> Employees were encouraged to [[remote work]] where possible.<ref>{{cite web|title=Coronavirus. Scolarité, élections, mesures à l'hôpital... Ce qu'il faut savoir en Mayenne|url=https://www.ouest-france.fr/sante/virus/coronavirus/coronavirus-ce-qu-il-faut-savoir-en-mayenne-6778363|work=[[Ouest-France]]|date=12 March 2020|access-date=13 May 2020|archive-date=23 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200323221145/https://www.ouest-france.fr/sante/virus/coronavirus/coronavirus-ce-qu-il-faut-savoir-en-mayenne-6778363|url-status=live}}</ref> During the second half of March, 4&nbsp;million French workers applied for temporary [[Unemployment benefits in France|unemployment benefits]].<ref name="20200402ft"/><ref name="AutoQ7-39"/><ref name="20200402reuters"/> As of April 2020, approximately 8.6&nbsp;million employees in France were furloughed. The total cost of the operation for the three months from March was €24&nbsp;billion.<ref name=20200525ladepeche-chomage/>

The French state, which has hitherto borne 100% of the costs of furloughing, reduced the indemnity to 85% from 1 June 2020, with businesses footing 15% of the bill; employees will receive 70% of their gross pay, or around 84% of their net salary. Employees in sectors of activity related to restaurants, culture and tourism, which remain subject to forced closure, continue to receive 100% state indemnity.<ref name=20200525ladepeche-chomage>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ladepeche.fr/2020/05/25/chomage-partiel-les-entreprises-assumeront-15-du-cout-des-le-1er-juin-annonce-le-ministere-du-travail,8902385.php|title=Chômage partiel : les entreprises assumeront 15% du coût dès le 1er juin, annonce le ministère du Travail|website=ladepeche.fr|access-date=13 June 2020|archive-date=13 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200613074035/https://www.ladepeche.fr/2020/05/25/chomage-partiel-les-entreprises-assumeront-15-du-cout-des-le-1er-juin-annonce-le-ministere-du-travail,8902385.php|url-status=live}}</ref> According to the French statistical agency INSEE, 3% of the French labor force frequently teleworks. 2% of French workers travel fewer than 5 kilometers from their home to work, and 8% must travel more than 50&nbsp;km.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Working time and working at home during the lockdown: significant differences depending on occupation - Insee Focus - 207 |url=https://www.insee.fr/en/statistiques/4806682 |access-date=2022-09-01 |website=www.insee.fr |archive-date=2 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220902215635/https://www.insee.fr/en/statistiques/4806682 |url-status=live }}</ref>