The end of a job for life in the civil service!
Settlement agreements could become the norm in the civil service. A major change for the job for life!
By the Wapply team
Is the job for life over? The government wants to make settlement agreements permanent for civil servants. A major change that shakes the sacrosanct status of public service. Here's everything at stake.
So what's the deal?
Launched in 2020, the trial of settlement agreements in the civil service comes to an end this year. But minister Laurent Marcangeli is clear: he wants to make it permanent. Trial mode over — the scheme could well become the norm.
For those working for the state, local authorities or hospitals, it's a small revolution. A settlement agreement lets you leave your post by mutual consent, with compensation and the right to unemployment benefit. A way out the government considers useful for “managing complex HR situations”.
The hidden side: a crisis in state education
If the scheme has had “limited but real” success, as the minister puts it, one sector above all has embraced it: state education.
The figures speak for themselves. According to the unions, three settlement agreements out of four involve teachers. It's a barometer of deep malaise. Deteriorating working conditions, stagnant pay… teachers have had enough. The settlement agreement becomes a way out for those who want to say goodbye without losing everything.
The unions' fear: a budget-cutting tool?
Despite the government's arguments, the unions are on alert. They fear this measure isn't only a solution for staff, but above all a lever for the state.
With the €43.8 billion savings plan and the loss of 3,000 public sector posts from 2026, the equation is simple for them: settlement agreements could be used to “get rid of” civil servants and lighten the wage bill. Sophie Vénétitay of the SNES-FSU union sums it up: “This is the end of the job for life in the civil service.”
Compensation: the crux of the matter
Another sore point: the amount of compensation. The average payout is €20,300. That's decent, but far from private sector practice, where some collective agreements offer up to a month's salary per year of service.
The result? Some staff give up, despite wanting to leave. The scheme is seen as unattractive, which also explains why it struggles to take off outside central government. The government will have to rethink it if it really wants to make the scheme appealing.
So will settlement agreements become a permanent right for civil servants?
The future of public employment is at stake.
