54,062 women are affected by breast cancer each year. Some stop working, others retrain or work part-time. For all of them, solutions are offered.
In 2014, on Valentine’s Day, Myriam Pavie learned that she had breast cancer. This maternal assistant stops a few days after her operation, then decides to return to work while continuing her treatments. “Colleagues replaced me for two hours in the mornings when I went to the hospital. The work continued, so life too. The children changed my ideas, they prevented me from thinking about the disease,” recalls Myriam. , now in remission.
When the diagnosis of breast cancer comes down and treatment begins, there is no law obliging them to notify their employers, supervisors or colleagues. Nonetheless, continuing to work in parallel with the treatments proves to be complicated and above all tiring. According to’National Institute of Health and Medical Research, three months after the announcement of the diagnosis, only 24% of people are still working, but they are 75% after 5 years.
Compensation according to status
For patients of working age who are forced to take sick leave, the benefits vary depending on their status. Employees of the general and agricultural scheme as well as craftsmen and self-employed in commerce and industry can benefit from daily allowances: 50% of the gross reference salary for a maximum of three years. As for job seekers, their amount is based on the latest pay slips.
On the public sector side, contractual civil servants request serious illness leave, from three to six months, renewable for up to four years. The salary is maintained for the first year; the following, the patients touch it to 50%. Same scheme for regular staff, called Long Sick Leave, for a maximum of three years.
Finally, farmers, by decision of the Mutualité Sociale et Agricole, are entitled to an invalidity pension. For all schemes, after the legal retirement age, patients must request retirement for inability to work.
Part-time therapy
Women who wish, like Myriam, resume their activity professional after a work stoppage, may opt for a relatively flexible therapeutic half-time, that is to say working 40, 50 or 60% of the time. This allows them to gradually resume their former activity, with the same salary. The company pays for the hours worked and social security pays the missing sum to reach the full-time salary. This contract is renewable for a maximum of four years, from which the time of sick leave must be subtracted.
Reclassification sometimes
Some patients can no longer exercise the same position within their company. They will choose the professional rehabilitation contract, from three months to one year renewable. Professional reclassification makes it possible to change professional orientation, to carry out internships or to obtain a new diploma. Illness in itself cannot be grounds for dismissal. But this is possible for inability to work. In this case, the patient may request a skills assessment and training from various organizations.
Find our show: Breast cancer, giving quality to life
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