What if the pension reform was an opportunity to strengthen the social rights of women in the building trades?

Since January 1, 2022, the mandatory social protection currently enjoyed by collaborating spouses, represented in the vast majority by women, has lost its immutable nature. A provision of the social security financing law for 2022 has limited the exercise of this status to 5 years.

Beyond this period, the collaborating spouse will have no choice but to continue his activity under the status of employee or the status of partner.

However, the status of collaborating spouse, created by the law of July 10, 1982 and supplemented by the law of August 2, 2005, had made it possible to recognize the unpaid activity of the collaborating spouse, by formalizing his involvement in the activity of the company. , and by making him benefit from a statute and a compulsory social coverage.

Consequently, for CAPEB, which at the time had taken this step forward, limiting this status to 5 years and forcing the collaborating spouse to take another status, whether that of employee or partner, opens the door to serious drift that constitutes the hidden return to work, placing collaborating spouses in a situation of untenable social precariousness. Not to mention the inequity compared to men, women occupying this status in the majority. It also undermines freedom of enterprise and compromises the economic viability of businesses. Is this how France sees its entrepreneurial dynamism? Is this how France views the place of women in its economy?

Ladies and gentlemen Senators, seize the examination of the pension reform project to repair the effects of regression and injustice of this provision, by offering collaborating spouses better social protection. A measure that would be welcome in a reform which, once again, highlights professional careers for women that are more difficult, with periods without contributions and lower salaries.

Allow collaborating spouses to retain this status as long as they contribute to greater social rights under Old-Age Insurance (on the basis of a social base equal to three-quarters social security ceiling). For CAPEB, this measure would be a response to all those who wish to continue to benefit from this status and whose collaboration in the life of the company constitutes a lifestyle choice and proves to be essential to the economic sustainability of the business.

More broadly, and this is not a detail at a time when parity in governance bodies is a key issue, this measure would allow women to be able to continue to sit in bodies where parity is now mandatory (Chambers of trades, national social security funds). If they were to have to change their status, they would in fact lose the possibility of sitting on these bodies.

Fighting against preconceptions and encouraging women to take full part in the life of their company is a constant fight, the recognition and maintenance of the status of collaborating spouse is an integral part of it. Ladies and gentlemen Senators, women in the building trades appeal to your common sense!

Tribune by Jean-Christophe Repon, President of CAPEB (LinkedIn).