Who can benefit ?
Any employee, working on the territory of the Republic for French or foreign employers, whatever their nationality. It is not open to civil servants, with the exception of those dependent on the Ministry of Labour.
The medal may also be awarded:
- to French or foreign employees working abroad for a French employer, either within an establishment whose head office is in mainland France, or in the subsidiary of a French company, or even in a company governed by foreign law but whose the leaders are French;
- exceptionally, and since December 17, 2007, to French or foreign employees residing abroad and working for foreign companies if their professional activities have contributed to the good name of France.
Eligible employees must:
- be able to justify a number of years of service corresponding to the different levels of the medal;
- having rendered, during these years of activity, “honorable” services or have taken initiatives of an exceptional quality in their profession or, have shown an exceptional quality in their efforts to acquire a better qualification.
The following are in particular assimilated to years of service and taken into account for the calculation of seniority:
- paid vocational training internships;
- training leave;
- military service ;
- time spent in service;
- interruptions following maternity leave (for a maximum of 1 year).
The periods of illness reduce in principle by the same amount the length of time worked necessary to qualify for the medal, but in practice a certain tolerance is allowed, especially for short-term sick leave.
What are the advantages ?
It is above all an honorary distinction of a higher or lower degree depending on the employee’s working time:
- silver medal: 20 years of service;
- vermeil medal: 30 years of service;
- gold medal: 35 years of service;
- grand gold medal: 40 years of service.
The medals can be granted after only 18, 25, 30 and 35 years if the activity carried out is recognized as difficult and justifies that the retirement age is lower than that in force in the general scheme.
The duration of the services is reduced:
- 33%, if the employee carried out his activity outside mainland France;
- half for work disabled, whose disability rate is between 50 and 75%.
The silver level is granted, without condition of duration, to disabled workers whose incapacity is at least equal to 75%.
The big gold medal is granted, without condition of length of service, to employees who are victims of a fatal work accident in the exercise of their profession as well as to 100% disabled workers.
The presentation of the medal is accompanied by the delivery of a diplomaawarded during an official ceremony usually organized by the town hall.
What should be done ?
The employee must complete a special form issued by the prefecture or by the Regional Directorates for Business, Competition, Consumption, Labor and Employment (also available on the website of the Ministry of Labor. It is attached to their file :
- a work certificate on plain paper from his sole employer or his successive employers, which may be replaced by a certificate drawn up by 2 witnesses and signed by the mayor of the municipality of residence, who must certify the cause for which the employer’s certificate does not cannot be produced;
- a statement of military service or a photocopy of the military record book;
- for disabled workers: a photocopy of the pension certificate.
The medals of honor for work are subject each year to 2 promotionsone on January 1, the other on July 14.
The deadlines for submitting applications are set at October 15 for the promotion of January 1 and May 1 for the promotion of July 14. This deposit must be made with the prefect of the department and, for Paris, with the service of the Medals of honor for work, 17 bd Morland – Paris 4th.
The Medal of Honor may be awarded posthumously to workers and employees who, at the time of their death, had the required number of years. The request must be submitted within 5 years of the death.
The metal medals are struck and engraved at the expense of the holder or, most often, at the expense of the employer, by the administration of Coins and Medals – Quai de Conti Paris 6th – after publication of the promotions in the collection of administrative acts of the departments .
Medals are awarded to beneficiaries either by the mayor of the municipality or by the employer.
Decree of July 4, 1984 (last modification by decree of December 15, 2007)
Our tips:
Even if the honorary aspect of the work medal is predominant, most companies want to give a bonus to employees at the same time as the medal, but nothing is provided for by conventional or legal provisions. Sometimes, the payment of a bonus is provided for by the collective agreement or by the practices of the company, but can also result from a decision of the employer or the works council.
These bonuses are exempt from social charges and income tax provided they are “reasonable”.
The work medal cannot be awarded to employees who are entitled to another honorary distinction such as the agricultural honor medal or the departmental medal.