Free access to help with procedures for all yachting professionals
Faced with the coronavirus crisis and its economic consequences, business leaders in the yachting sector may feel lost. From one official announcement to another, the criteria for eligibility for aid and the possibility of continuing their activity fluctuate and are sometimes difficult to understand. In support of the industry, the French Nautical Industries Federation has created a space for all the actors of the nautical industry, whether or not they are members, with links to the main schemes and analysis sheets specific to the sector. The Covid-19 page deals with all of these subjects, clearly indicating the date of publication, as information evolves quickly.
Partial unemployment, vacations: which applications in the nautical industry?
The vagueness surrounding access to partial unemployment during the first week of confinement has worried many companies in the nautical sector, reporting a lack of feedback from the Direccte. The details provided on March 25, 2020 by the Ministry of Labor seem to reassure the industry. "To date, nearly 100,000 companies have applied for partial activity and 1.2 million employees are affected, for a total amount of nearly 4 billion euros. In two days, more than 500,000 employees and 60,000 additional companies have been covered by the new partial unemployment system set up by the Ministry of Labor. Since the beginning of the crisis, only 28 requests for partial unemployment have been refused by the Direccte throughout the country, and this was justified. The new rules put in place give companies 30 days to submit their request, with retroactive effect," states the government's press release.
"The absence of a response within 48 hours is considered as acceptance and the announcement of a payment within 10 days is also very positive for our companies" adds Fabien Métayer, general delegate of the Nautical Industries Federation (FIN). Advice on how to apply for partial unemployment is available online.
The site also reminds us of the conditions to be respected according to the size of the company and the steps to be taken in order to impose paid vacations or RTT on employees. It is reminded that the derogation to the working time only applies to sectors "considered essential to the security and continuity of the economic and social life of the Nation", from which yachting is a priori excluded.
Local actions for the nautical companies and for the exit of the crisis
In addition to online documentary support, FIN exchanges with its members to solve concrete problems. "For example, we are working with the State to obtain access to pontoons for professionals working in areas where certain marinas are closed," explains Fabien Métayer. "The challenge will also be to prepare well for the resumption of activity and to adapt our future arrangements."
