Enough is enough! With all of the French financial aid available to families here, the protesting gilets jaunes complaints are getting really old and lack validity!
I am sick of the continued violent protests each Saturday by these “gilets jaunes”. They got the hated gasoline tax suspended, but they continue to protest like insatiable spoiled angry teenagers.
These groups of modest income families may not have big salaries, but they have multiple financial aids that middle-class American families don’t!
The French have grown up with a tremendous social safety net from cradle to coffin, that would make many American workers and citizens envious.
Universal health insurance here means no one has to ever worry about going bankrupt for a catastrophic disease, or pre-existing disease, or maternity bills as there is excellent and comprehensive healthcare to all citizens.
Students have practically free university tuitions, superb financial aid and can graduate without the staggering debt incurred by American students and thier parents!
I would have loved to have had even a few of the wonderful financial aids given to families here when I was raising my children in America as the sole provider!
Here is a list of family benefits taken from the French Social Security Code.
Under Section L. 512-1 of the Social Security Code, “any French or foreign person residing in France with one or more dependent children also residing in France, is entitled to family benefits for those children.
Pre Natal Allowance
Even before you give birth, or adopt a child, there will be a lump sum given. At 9 months of pregnancy, or prior to adoption, you are given a pre-birth sum to help with buying of necessities needed for the arrival of a new baby.
For children born or adopted from April 1st, 2018, this benefit amounts to €946.39 (births) or €1,892.77 (adoption of a child under the age of 20).
Paid Maternity Leaves
Both pre-birth and post birth paid leaves are quite generous.
| Family circumstances | Length of prenatal leave | Length of postnatal leave | Total length of maternity leave |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 child expected and fewer than 2 dependent children or children born viable | 6 weeks | 10 weeks | 16 weeks |
| 1 child expected and already 2 dependent children on a permanent and ongoing basis | 8 weeks | 18 weeks | 26 weeks |
| Twins expected | 12 weeks | 22 weeks | 34 weeks |
| Triplets expected | 24 weeks | 22 weeks | 46 weeks |
Paternity Leave 11 to 18 days paid leave
Monthly Child Allocations
These amounts are paid without any employment criteria. Obviously, these monthly allotments are a tremendous help in buying food and clothes for your children!
| Family benefits(3) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| – for 2 children | € 131.16 | |||
| – for 3 children | € 299.20 | |||
| – for each additional child | € 168.04 | |||
| – Increase for each child over 14(4) | € 65.58 | |||
| Flat-rate allowance(3) | € 82.93 | |||
| Family income supplement | ||||
| – Base rate | € 170.71 | |||
| – Increased rate | € 256.09 | |||
Preschool Child Care Allowance
Costs for daycare of children under the age of 6 can be up paid to 85%, depending on income and employers benefits. Some large companies have on-site daycare, like many hospitals.
Back to school allowance
This is fantastic, as it allows families to buy all the new school supplies and clothes needed for the upcoming school year.
Full rates:
- €369.57 for a child aged 6 to 10
- €389.96 for a child aged 11 to 14
- €403.48 for a child aged 15 to 18.
Housing allowance
This financial aid is based on annual income and location/size of the dwelling.
Moving Allowance
Up to 988 euros for a family with 3 children and 98 euros more for each additional child.
Vacation Allowances
Modest income families can receive vacation checks or tickets that allow them to stay free in certain approved vacation rentals or camping.
University Tuition Fees at Public Universities
Most of us come out of college and graduate school with thousands of dollars debt, and have years ahead of us of repaying them! Not the French!!!!
- €170 per year at the licence (bachelor) level
- €243 per year at the master level
- €601 per year in a school of engineering*
- €380 per year at the doctoral level
France is one of the top student destinations in the world for international students, who want to study here with low tuition costs and student discounts.
Even international foreign student’s fees at public universities here are mere pennies in comparison to American state universities.
- €2,770 per year at the licence (bachelor) level
- €3,770 per year at the master level
- €3,770 per year at the doctoral level
Student Housing Aid
The French government will refund students a portion of each month’s rent.
Student Discounts
Students get great discounts at public student cafeterias, cinemas, theatres, museums, public transportation, and the French national rail line(SNCF).
That is only the tip of the iceberg of financial aid available to families, as it continues into employment.
If you are let go, you generally have three months between being told and termination, during which time you can spend time at home. The unemployment amounts are very generous at up to 57% of a salary, with duration up to 3 years. Free job advancement training is always available and even encouraged!
Paid vacation time is at least 30 days and up to 7 weeks for public sector jobs. Plus 11 public holidays!
Even employed workers can take free training in fields where they may obtain a better paying job!
Of course, all of this comes with higher taxes, but in my personal opinion, the tremendous financial benefits certainly outweigh the tax burden.
I will continue to feel empathy for the struggles of all individuals, but not to the gilets jaunes with unjustified complaints who resort to violence.
Given all of the above French financial aid and benefits, they have the opportunities, that many do not have to better educate themselves to obtain a higher paying salary.
It is much more productive to invest their anger and time into education and bettering their chances of higher paying jobs than destroying the property of others and attacking policemen!
Although I think there may be a few legitimate issues at hand with the Gilets Jaunes (such as the radars in the countryside which really seem to target non-city-dwellers), I agree with you. Families here have a wonderful gift from the government. And I have been hospitalised a few times here, and I appreciate the level of care provided as well as the low cost when the bill arrived. As you also know, my kids have been given a wonderful education here, and I am grateful.
Thank you Andy for your well needed testimony, having raised your sons here for the last 10 years. I wish I had moved here with my children when they were young! I would have loved the benefits that would have made my life easier! At least I am able to enjoy practically free healthcare! Hugs
Cherry,your so very right Enough is Enough! The media here has been covering the outrageous violence in France.l was really surprised to see your fact sheet on the benefits of living in France.
And Enough is Enough here also has the gov. Shut down continue to make a lot of gov.employees not getting paid. And the federal parks are being trashed because there’s no park rangers to enforce the park rules.
Why can’t everyone just get along and Don’t worry be happy!
Hugs to you
Thank you Isham for your always appreciated comments. Life if difficult for the middle classes in the USA, whose salary can be easily eaten up by private insurance bills, and multiple other things, that the French get get help with , yet they come across spoiled. I am glad that you are able to look beyond and find some peace and joy in your life, rather than focus on the negative! Hugs