French tax service Urssaf’s four-day week proves unpopular

Workers gave various reasons why they did not take up the offer at the tax collection service

Only three out of 200 workers at Urssaf chose the four-day work week

WINDCOLORS / Shutterstock

Published Monday 12 June 2023 - 17:00 Modified Monday 12 June 2023 - 17:00

Only three workers out of a potential 200 have taken up tax collection service Urssaf’s offer of a four-day week at its office in Picardie in northern France.

Forty people had expressed interest but most later withdrew.

Reasons given included difficulties reconciling family life, especially childcare, with longer nine-hour days.

Others thought they would be too tired to profit from the extra day off.

Lyon métropole also plans to introduce a four-day week to reduce absenteeism and “make employment more attractive.”

Starting in September, the one-year voluntary trial concerns 5,500 of its 9,600 staff.

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