This is the most emblematic measure of the pension reform. The one that crystallizes the most discontent. The legal retirement age will be raised from 62 to 64, at the rate of three months per year from September 1, 2023 until 2030. This two-year increase “will concern all active workers, employees, self-employed and civil servants “, underlined Elisabeth Borne Tuesday, January 10 during the presentation of the reform.
To obtain a “full rate” pension (without discount), the required contribution period will increase from 42 years (168 quarters) currently to 43 years (172 quarters) by 2027, at the rate of one quarter per year. This extension was provided for by the Touraine reform of 2014, but on a less tight schedule, with an additional quarter every three years until 2035.
Nevertheless, “four out of ten people retiring each year will be able to benefit from early departures and will not have to work until the age of 64”, underlined the Prime Minister, presenting several measures allowing employees to assert their right to full pension before age 64. In this way, no one will be “forced to work over the age of 44”, according to the government.
The “comforted” long career scheme
Those who started working early will always be able to leave earlier thanks to the long career system, which will be “reinforced”, the government announced on Tuesday. Created by the pension reform of 2003, this system allowed, in 2020, 22% of employees to leave earlier.
Currently, starting a career before the age of 20 can allow an early retirement of two years, and entering the workforce before the age of 16 can give the right to an early retirement of four years. This system will be “adapted” with a new “intermediate level”: those who started before the age of 20 will be able to leave two years earlier, i.e. 62 years old; those who started before the age of 18 will be able to claim their right to retirement four years earlier, i.e. 60; those who started before the age of 16 will be able to end their career six years earlier, ie 58, subject to having contributed the required insurance period plus one year, and no longer two years as at present.
The executive gave two examples in its press kit. First, “Julien, 40, employed in a car repair garage since he was 19. If he remains employed, he will retire at 62 without waiting for the legal age”. Then, “Pauline, who began her professional life as an apprentice baker at the age of 16, before becoming an employee of this bakery. She will be able to continue to retire from the age of 60 as soon as she has her premium insurance plus one year”.
Police, firefighters, or military will retain the right to leave earlier
In addition, the government intends to maintain early departures. Thus, certain professions, “whose jobs are more dangerous”, will be able to “continue to leave earlier”, specified the Prime Minister, citing in particular as an example the “soldiers, firefighters and police officers”. “This will also be the case for nursing assistants in the public hospital service”, added the head of government.
“A departure at age 62 will be maintained for people with disabilities or incapacity”, also specified Elisabeth Borne, while the retirement period for people with disabilities or incapacity is 4 to 6 years less than for other insured persons, depending on the reason and sex. An early retirement age will be created to allow these people to be able to retire at age 62 at full rate, as today. According to the executive, “the creation of this early age will allow more than 100,000 people a year to continue to be able to leave at 62 and at the full rate”.
In addition, the retirement scheme for permanent disability, created in 2010, will be simplified. Anyone who has had an accident at work or an occupational disease (AT-MP) resulting in an incapacity of at least 10% may leave two years before the legal age, if this incapacity is linked to exposure to hardship factors. . The exposure duration condition will be reduced from 17 years to 5 years to justify this link. Finally, workers with disabilities will still be able to retire from the age of 55 and workers exposed to asbestos will continue to be able to retire from the age of 50.
Despite these measures, for the unions, the account is not there. The eight main unions announced Tuesday a first date of mobilization against the reform, January 19, hoping that it “gives the start of a powerful mobilization on pensions in the long term”. The leaders of these organizations (CFDT, CGT, FO, CFE-CGC, CFTC, Unsa, Solidaires, FSU) met at the Labor Exchange on Tuesday afternoon. In the evening, the whole of the left, from the socialists to La France insoumise, called to join the union mobilization.