France to Shorten Sick Pay Period for Long Illnesses
Listen to the story
Starting 15 October 2026, France will reduce how long workers receive paid sick leave for long illnesses.
This means people on long-term sick leave will get compensation for a shorter period than before.
Compensation is money given to someone to help them during a difficult time.
The change is part of France's planned budget for 2027.
A budget is a government's plan for spending and saving money.
The government says the new rules will help control public spending.
Workers who are sick for a long time will be affected the most.
In the past, long sick leave gave people money for a longer time.
Now, that time period will become shorter under the new law.
The government is also looking at other changes to worker payments.
One idea is to reduce severance pay for highly paid employees.
Severance pay is money given to a worker when their job contract ends.
This change would apply mainly to the best-paid workers in companies.
The goal is to lower government costs linked to job and work benefits.
These ideas are part of a larger plan to fix France's budget problems.
Unions and workers may react strongly to these new rules.
Many employees worry this could hurt people with serious health problems.
The government argues the system needs to become more sustainable.
More details about these changes are expected before October 2026.
People will need to watch closely how these policies develop over time.
Vocabulary10 words
- compensation
- money given to help someone in trouble
- budget
- a plan for spending and saving money
- severance pay
- money given when a job ends
- sustainable
- able to continue without problems
- policy
- an official plan or rule
- union
- a group that protects workers' rights
- public spending
- money the government uses
- contract
- a formal work agreement
- affected
- changed by something
- benefit
- help or money given to someone
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Quiz
Answer key
1. It will be reduced 2. To control public spending 3. The highest-paid employees
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Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Starting 15 October 2026, France will reduce how long workers receive paid _____ for long illnesses.
This means people on long-term sick leave will get _____ for a shorter period than before.
The change is part of France's planned _____ for 2027.
The government says the new rules will help control public _____.
In the past, long sick leave gave people money for a longer _____.
One idea is to reduce severance pay for highly paid _____.
Severance pay is money given to a worker when their job _____ ends.
This change would apply mainly to the best-paid workers in _____.
The government argues the system needs to become more _____.
More details about these changes are expected before _____ 2026.
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