In a column published on December 7 in the Journal du Dimanche, 26 deputies from the majority demanded that exhaustion at work, or burn-out, be recognized as an occupational disease.
For the deputies, “this recognition is essential so that the effects of nervous exhaustion at work are the responsibility of those who are responsible for it, that is to say the employers. “
By asking for this statute, the deputies wish to “switch the financing” of this syndrome of professional exhaustion on the branch Work accidents and occupational diseases (or AP-MT), financed at 97% by employer contributions.
“A major question in our society”
“What is often called burn-out is becoming a major issue in our 21st century society,” say MEPs. It becomes urgent to take the measure and draw conclusions. This is what we are calling on the government to do. “
A study by Technologia, dated January 2014, stated that more than three million assets could be affected by this syndromeburnout, especially in the private sector.
“Today, one in four employees in the private sector declares to have had a serious psychological problem at work, recall the deputies, citing a study of November 2014 of the Cegos barometer, based on 1135 employees.
According to the same source, 26% of employees and 22% of managers believe that work was the direct cause of their problems, more than 50% saying they experience regular stress at work. “
Burnout, a heavy burden on the Social Security budget
Burnout is a mental and emotional disorder that occurs during chronic stress at work. Fatigue, the feeling of failure, difficulty concentrating, frustrating and demotivating working conditions are all factors that contribute to the vicious circle leading to burnout.
And to answer them as well as possible, the 26 deputies propose the registration of two new elements in the branch of occupational diseases: depression following deep exhaustion, and post-traumatic stress at work.
Currently, a person suffering from burn-out can take sick leave, or therapeutic part-time, financed by the general social security scheme.
In all, it is 1 billion euros of social security spending that is allocated to the support of burn-out, without any involvement of employers.
Only a few dozen cases per year have their work exhaustion syndrome recognized as an occupational disease. To do this, they had to prove that their disorder resulted in a permanent disability of more than 25%, and that a direct and essential link had been established between their illness and their work.
For the deputies, “it is in the interest of all […] that this question is finally tackled without taboos, with all its implications and consequences. Just as we know that a well-managed company making its place for people, knowing how to motivate its employees, is more productive than another, in the same way the company of tomorrow which will have been able to take the measure the phenomenon of nervous exhaustion […] will become more efficient. “
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