# Unemployment



## andthushesaid (Oct 1, 2021)

Hi everyone!

I had a discussion with a superior at work in which she mentioned that, in France, if one voluntarily quits one’s job, one is eligible for up to 3 months of unemployment. She is French and assured me this was correct, and that she herself found it strange.

I’ve been unable to validate this on Service Publique or any other government resource. I just find this concept too bizarre to be true…

Does anyone have any insight to share?


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## BackinFrance (Nov 26, 2020)

It is incorrect.


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

Not aware of this for someone who quits voluntarily. There is, however, something called a "rupture conventionnelle" where you and your employer agree to end your employment under certain terms and conditions, where you will be eligible for chomage according to your work record, cotisations, etc. It is based on the consent of both the employee and the employer and there are pretty strict conditions you have to meet for this.

See here for details: Rupture conventionnelle


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## ARPC (Aug 30, 2021)

She’s right and even understating it. Depending on your profession and duration of contract, one qualifies for chômage over a percentage of time worked, and kicks in when a fixed duration contract ends or you end the job for any reason and report to pôle emploi that you wish to apply for any allocations you have earned. In my lived experience and close observation of French working people, you can qualify to receive allocations from the pôle emploi after working a certain number of hours over a certain amount of time. In my wierd profession, once I work 580 hours within a twelve month period, I receive allocations automatically for twelve months following the month I passed that number. (Bringing my income up to the smic, if I was short of it, according to how much I report having worked each month). People who work at a grocery store or hotel have a shorter duration, and can qualify for allocations after just 4-6 months of full time work, for a period of 2-3 months. They receive help up to %80 of the smic.
If you want to know more, the pôle emploi website explains this with dozens of cartoons. Some professions, like mine, are very tied up with PE because the chômage régime is part of the industry (performance arts patrimoine culturel) and we pay an extra tax to fund ourselves theough this “intermettance”. Other professions never use it. My auto entrepreneur friends don’t, mainly because they say it is too complicated. Most French hourly wage workers I know use it, staying enrolled or enrolling periodically when they’re between contracts or need to leave a job and take time to find another one. It also assists you if you start a training program, need to claim sick leave, or cannot work for whatever reason and want to apply for RSA (monthly living allowance based on family situation). 

If you want to use it, the pôle emploi offices are very helpful for figuring out the regime you fit in to.


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