Main announcement of this social dialogue conference, companies will be able, as in 2019 and 2020, again to pay in 2021 a tax-exempt bonus and exempt from social contributions of a maximum amount of 1.000 euros to "all employees".
However, the Ministry of Labor then specified that the "targeting level" of the bonus will be negotiated with the social partners, the idea being to "focus on low wages".
The Macron bonus in 2019 and 2020 was paid to employees earning less than three times the minimum wage.
"It will be possible to increase the amount up to 2.000 euros for companies and branches that will either have concluded a profit-sharing agreement by the end of the year, or have opened a negotiation on the valuation of the so-called trades. "second line", who will be the "privileged beneficiaries" of this bonus, added Mr. Castex.
Second-line workers are employees who have been particularly exposed to the pandemic, particularly in the retail trade, cleaning services, construction, road transport, essential for economic continuity and whose wages and working conditions are for most unenviable.
"Bad will"
The Medef warned against a "disillusionment" on this bonus because "companies have lived their worst year and many will find it difficult to pay".
"We are delighted that the government has chosen a universal premium, and not just for the + second lines +, which would have given rise to real tensions in companies," he said.
"As long as it is not compulsory, it is at the good will of the employers and for the moment it is a bad will", commented Philippe Martinez (CGT), who denounces the "categorical refusal" of the government of increase the minimum wage.
"This is not a real and stumbling bonus", also noted Yves Veyrier (FO), while Marylise Léon (CFDT) considered that "employers who have the possibility of paying this bonus must do so" , noting that the Medef "braked four irons", but that this can not be "the only answer".
Unlike the Medef, the U2P (traders and artisans) "subscribes to the possibility given to companies" to grant a bonus which would be "fair recognition of the Nation" for these workers.
In addition, Jean Castex announced the end on May 31 of the hiring bonus for young people, which will be refocused from April on salaries below 1,6 Smic.
The objective was to "accelerate the hiring" of young people at the start of the 2020 school year, explained the ministry, assuming this disconnection of aid and insisting on the other components of the youth plan.
According to the ministry, nearly 1,3 million under 26 were hired on CDI or CDD for more than three months between August and January, with 346.000 premium requests (1.000 euros per quarter of contract for a maximum of one year) .
On the other hand, he announced the maintenance until the end of the year of aid for the recruitment of work-study trainees which allowed apprenticeships to experience a record year 2020 despite the crisis, driven by the premium (5.000 euros for a minor, 8.000 for a major).
These aids will remain open to all levels of study and all sizes of business. The measure represents a budgetary effort of 2,4 billion euros.
The Prime Minister also announced the launch of consultations on the way out of the crisis, which will take place in three phases, with consultations now for the sectors most affected to see how to lift health restrictions and support businesses, according to the ministry. work.
A second stage will focus on the way in which aid systems can be made to evolve, and a third "prospective" phase will have to examine what are the underlying trends which have been affected by the crisis, as with teleworking. This work could lead to a new social dialogue conference "at the beginning of the summer".
For this conference, the government had put aside the annoying subjects: the reform of unemployment insurance was decided upstream even if the unions intend again to ask for its postponement. And neither the pension reform, "dead and buried" according to Mr. Roux de Bézieux, nor the social deficits were on the agenda.