2023-10-06 16:47:00
Last week, several of them received a letter stamped ONEM which we were able to consult. Or more precisely, a “summons to the unemployment office” in their region from the National Employment Office. The administration wishes to hear them regarding “temporary unemployment benefits for Corona force majeure” that these pilots received between April 2020 and May 2022.
“Following the abusive use of temporary unemployment on the part of your employer, as well as the cancellation of the declaration of temporary unemployment, you therefore wrongly received unemployment benefits […]. Allowances received unduly will be recovered.”
The bill per worker ranges between 1,000 and 6,000 euros, according to Didier Lebbe, permanent secretary of the CNE, who is not losing his temper. “During the Covid epidemic, Ryanair fiddled with the aid put in place by the government and committed fraud. The company made independent pilots fly by putting employed pilots on temporary unemployment. Which is prohibited. It’s strong coffee , three years later, and while we repeat that this company does not stop committing fraud, let a federal agency write to workers to come and explain themselves.”
250 workers concerned
Workers who will likely have no choice but to foot the bill, even if no decision has yet been made. “Workers risk having to reimburse ONEM for temporary Covid unemployment benefits received unduly,” we confirm in the office of the Minister of Employment, Pierre-Yves Dermagne (PS). Which recalls the law which then prevailed: “Allowances received unduly can only be recovered from the workers who received them.” And this, even if the workers have nothing to reproach themselves for.
The law was amended in 2022 so that ONEM can “recover, in certain cases, allowances directly from the employer”, indicates the firm. “But, unfortunately, as it is a sanction, there is no possible retroactive effect.”
The people concerned will therefore have to pay and turn once morest their employer. “In this case, continues the office of the Minister of Employment, Ryanair is required to pay the remuneration (which had been replaced by unemployment compensation, Editor’s note) otherwise, there is a breach of the law on the protection of remuneration. Ryanair must therefore take responsibility for its faults. Ryanair must regularize the situation and pay the workers’ salaries.”
A new standoff in sight as a social truce was signed two weeks ago. In total, 250 workers would be affected for a total amount evaded in unpaid contributions of around 5 million euros.
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