Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2022, published 111st ILC session (2023)

Employment Service Convention, 1948 (No. 88) - France (Ratification: 1952)

Articles 4 and 5 of the Convention. Reform of the public employment service. Participation of the social partners. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government in response to its previous request concerning the application of the provisions of the above-mentioned Articles.

Article 6. Organization of the employment service. The Government indicates that a new tripartite agreement was signed by the State, Unédic and Pôle emploi for the period 2019-2022. This agreement sets out three strategic objectives: (i) to accelerate and facilitate a return to sustainable employment for job seekers; (ii) to more effectively address the recruitment difficulties facing enterprises; and (iii) to develop and promote job seekers’ skills and qualifications to encourage recruitment. The Government indicates that these three strategic directions demonstrate the strong will of the State, Unédic and the social partners to streamline recruitment by enterprises and promote access to sustainable employment for job seekers, by more actively meeting their needs and focusing on skills development to prevent long-term removal from the labour market and recurring unemployment. The Committee requests the Government to provide detailed and up-to-date information, particularly statistical data disaggregated by sex and age showing the impact of the new tripartite agreement among the State, Unédic and Pôle emploi on the effectiveness of the employment services, especially in terms of building their capacity to promote access to productive and sustainable employment for job seekers.

Article 9. Staff of the employment service. The Government indicates that Pôle emploi will be dramatically transformed in order to achieve the above three strategic directions. The transformation will be based on an open innovation policy, and development of skills and initiative capacity of its staff. The Government also indicates that this transformation also aims to strengthen the commitments of Pôle emploi relating to social and environmental responsibility, while continuing to concentrate on the working conditions of its employees. The Committee requests the Government to provide updated information on the training of the staff of the employment service, indicating the frequency and content of this training, and to report on its impact, particularly on a practical level on the development of the capacities of the employment services in the discharge of their functions. It also requests the Government to provide information on the number of participants in the training, and the total number and specializations of the officials appointed to the employment services in the country.