"The work stoppage system is not viable in the long term," concedes Yannick Neuder after the MEDEF proposals.

A system in need of reform. While the issue of healthcare finances continues to agitate employers' organizations and the government, the MEDEF (French employers' association) proposed this Wednesday, July 9, the introduction of waiting days in the private sector in the event of sick leave.

Following the public model, the employers' organization suggests that one to three days of sick leave be paid for neither by the Social Security nor by the employer. This is referred to as a "public order" waiting day, which is different from a traditional waiting day. Questioned on the subject this Thursday, July 10, Yannick Neuder, Minister of Health, responded on the set of Grandes Gueules .

"An issue arises. There is unequal treatment between the public and private sectors. In the private sector, without a sector-wide collective agreement, you can have up to three days of waiting time, and this is not discussed enough," the minister commented.

"What social model do we want?" he asks.

Taking the example of Social Security data from its launch in 1946 ("three contributors for one beneficiary"), Yannick Neuder notes that the system "has changed a lot" with now "one worker for three beneficiaries".

"The system is not sustainable in the long term, so we really have to ask ourselves the question," he says.

As for abusive medical leave, the minister mentions the widespread use of leave granted too easily.

"We need to get out of the prevailing mentality (sic). We all hear [at work] when there is a conflict [with their employer], an employee say 'I'm going to take sick leave,' that's something completely deviant. We should first see our doctor, ask them about our problem so that they can decide whether or not to stop work. There is increasing pressure on doctors," notes Yannick Neuder.

Drawing a parallel with the recent attack on an SOS Médecins practitioner in Lille on 2 July, the minister mentioned the refusal to grant a sick leave to a patient as the reason for the attackers' actions, even though this was not the main reason given during the trial held on Wednesday 9 July .

Inseparable from work stoppages, the occupational health project must also be addressed, the minister assures. "We can ask ourselves the question 'why do some companies suffer more absenteeism than others?' There are management conditions, working conditions [that need to be reviewed]. [...] We must focus on the prescribers and working conditions," he comments.

"Wanting to only resolve the problem of daily allowances by hitting prescribers is not wanting to open the door to the issue of occupational health in France," he adds.

To combat fraud, which costs the State 13.5 billion euros each year, the Minister of Health intends, for example, to put an end to fake sick leave certificates, some of which can be found online, and to issue tamper-proof documents from now on.