France: By 1 September 2019, companies with a workforce of 250 to 1,000 employees must have calculated and published their “equal pay” index

Amongst the measures to enter into force during the 2nd half of 2019: by 1st September 2019, companies with a workforce of 250 to 1,000 employees must have calculated and published their “equal pay” index. As for occupational training and its funding calendar: by 15th September 2019, companies must have put up an advance corresponding to 75 % of the dues designed for training purposes. The new procedure for acknowledging the occupational nature of an illness or accident, will apply to all such events declared from 1st December 2019 onwards.

A number of provisions pertaining to HR managers will enter into force as of the second half of 2019.  In outline:

• Companies with a workforce of 250 to 1,000 employees are under a duty to calculate and publish their “equal pay” index by 1 September 2019, and to forward the outcome to the Labour Ministry. Companies which fail to publish may be fined up to 1 % of the wagebill, from “the very first year on”;
• An Act of Parliament known as “Loi avenir professionnel” dated 5 September 2018 has reformed the arrangements for occupational training and its funding calendar: by 15 September 2019, companies must have put up an advance corresponding to 75 % of their dues designated for training purposes, “based on the 2018 wagebill or as relevant, a forecast of the 2019 wagebill”;
• An across-the-board reduction applies to dues levied on low-wage categories; the reduction has been extended to complementary pension dues which became mandatory as of 1 January 2019. As of 1 October 2019, this will apply to the employer’s share of unemployment insurance dues as well.
• The new procedure for acknowledging the occupational nature of an illness or accident will apply to such events declared from 1 December 2019 Henceforth, the employer will have 10 days within which to express his eventual reservations.