In France, a decree modifies the criteria for reasonable job offers (ORE) for cross-border workers

This decree amends an article of the Labour Code concerning “the constituent elements of a reasonable job offer (ORE)”*. It directly concerns cross-border workers because ‘for the determination of these elements, the preferred geographical area is defined within the national territory and the expected salary is defined in accordance with the salary normally paid for the job or jobs sought in this area, taking into account, where appropriate, the experience of the job seeker’. This means that jobseekers must take the average French salary as a reference and not the salary they were earning in the border country. However, jobseekers remain free to look for work in the country of their choice. It should also be noted that refusal of a ORE on two occasions without ‘legitimate grounds’ may result in removal from the France travail unemployment register and loss of entitlement to unemployment insurance.

Please note:

Since the application of EC regulation no. 883/2004 of 01/05/2010, border workers have received compensation from their country of residence in the event of unemployment, even though their contributions were paid in the country of employment. The border state partially reimburses unemployment benefits to the state of residence, but this compensation is limited to a period of three to five months. In France, this situation generates an estimated additional annual cost of 800 million euros for Unédic (cf. 77,000 jobseekers in 2023), due in particular to the growing flows to Switzerland and Luxembourg.

*ORE is an offer that corresponds, for a given jobseeker, to their level of qualifications and skills, their geographical location and the level of salary normally paid in the geographical area in which they are looking for work, and their family/personal situation.

Further information: https://travail-emploi.gouv.fr/publication-du-decret-relatif-aux-elements-constitutifs-de-loffre-raisonnable-demploi

^{Photo : Shutterstock / Andrey Popov}