Unemployment benefits: which country is the most generous in the Greater Region?
Duration of compensation, amount of allowances and criteria for being able to receive them… the editorial staff offers you a comparison of the different unemployment insurance systems in force in Luxembourg, Belgium, France and Germany.
Let’s say it right away: contrary to popular belief, France is not the most generous European country in terms of unemployment benefits. Twisting the neck of this false belief, the latest study by Unédic would even place France at the back of the pack of the fifteen states of the European Union studied for the occasion.
The method of calculation
In order to draw up an accurate comparative table, taking into account the particularities specific to each country with regard to the granting of unemployment benefits, the National Interprofessional Union for Employment in Industry and Commerce (Unédic) has based on the daily reference wage (SJR); student how much the allowance could average compared to this one.
As a reminder, the daily reference salary is determined according to the remuneration received over a reference period. Clearly, it is calculated by taking into account all the gross wages for which the employee has contributed to unemployment insurance (basic wages but also any bonuses and gratuities received) and this, during a given period.
Read Comparison of minimum wages in Luxembourg and its neighbors
Luxembourg offers the largest allowances
In the Greater Region, it is the Grand Duchy who come out on top, and by far, of this ranking of the most generous countries in this area. With unemployment insurance providing on average 80% of the average daily wageLuxembourg ranks second in Europe, just after Denmark, prancing in the lead with 90%.
Behind, we find Belgium, with 65%, Germany (60%) and finally France with unemployment benefits amounting on average to only 57% of the SJR. Far from popular belief, with this method of calculation, France actually finds itself among the least generous states in Europe according to Unédic.
France does better on maximum compensation
Bonne d’âme with regard to the amount of compensation, France is happily catching up on the maximum ceiling of the monthly allowancewith 7,816 euros per month (even if Unédic specifies that very few job seekers receive this amount: they do not represent more than 0.05% of all unemployed people receiving benefits).
It’s better thanin Luxembourg where this ceiling is set at 5,782 eurosi.e. approximately 250% of the minimum social wage. In Germanythis maximum amount does not exceed the €3,019 in the old Länder and 2,918 in the new ones when, in Belgiumhe’s from €1,921.
Read A French cross-border commuter earns up to twice as much in Luxembourg
What about the duration of compensation?
On this last criterion, it is this time the Flat Country that stands out with a duration of compensation to receive his unemployment benefits which is in principle unlimited ! Unédic specifies that in Belgium ” after a maximum period of 48 months during which the amount of the allowance is decreasing, the job seeker receives a flat-rate allowance for a duration that is in principle unlimited “.
Inevitably, the country is far ahead of France (compensating its unemployed between 6 and 36 months depending, in particular, on their age), Germany (between 6 and 24 months) and Luxembourg limiting the period of 12 month compensation.
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