Other news for December 2021

Christmas vouchers

Gift vouchers awarded to employees on a particular event (wedding, birth, Mother’s or Father’s Day, Christmas...) by the social and economic committee (CSE ) or, in the absence of a committee, by the employer, are exempted from social security contributions if their value does not exceed, in 2021, €171.40 per employee. However, to strengthen the purchasing power of employees and support the activity of shops, the government increases this amount to €250 for gift vouchers distributed for Christmas 2021. In other words, employers (or CSEs) can, on this occasion, allocate gift vouchers exempt from social security contributions up to €250 per employee.

An indemnity to preserve purchasing power

Given the general rise in prices, particularly fuel price, the government announced, last October, the creation of an “inflation allowance” intended to protect the purchasing power of the population. With a lump sum of €100, this compensation could, according to the government, concern 14 million employees and 2 million self-employed workers. Its conditions of allocation and its terms of payment will be fixed by decree.

Derogatory work stoppages related to Covid-19

Since the beginning of the health crisis linked to the Covid-19 epidemic, employees and self-employed workers who are unable to work, including teleworking, have the possibility, in certain situations, to benefit from a so-called “derogatory” work stoppage. This work stoppage gives entitlement to the payment of daily social security allowances and, for employees, additional allowances from the employer, without waiting period and without any requirement to comply with the usual conditions for entitlement. This scheme was expected to end on September 30, 2021. Now, the public authorities have decided to maintain it until December 31, 2021.

Duration of the status of Young Innovative Company

The status of “young innovative company” (JEI ) allows access to tax and social benefits. To benefit from it, a company must comply with several conditions relating to its size, age, the commitment of a minimum amount of research and development (R&D) expenditure, the terms of holding its capital and the truly newness of its activity.

Thus, under the previous rule, a company must have been created for less than 8 years to be eligible for the scheme. By taking into consideration the time needed for researchers to obtain their first results, the draft finance law for 2022 provides for the granting of JEI status until the 11th anniversary of the company. In other words, the duration of the JEI status is extended by 3 years, and therefore it is increased from 7 to 10 years.