MPs adopt a law to facilitate the donation of employees during their working time – Liberation

A solution to deal with the « Permanent tension » Stocks of blood products available in France. The deputies adopted a text on Wednesday, June 4, to protect employees wishing to give their blood on their working time, taking care to supervise the system to respond to the fears of employers.

While France faces a Constant voltage on product stocks blood and especially on plasma derived drugs, imported two thirds from the United States, « It is essential to expand our pool of donors, to lift the brakes on regular commitment to the gift of blood and to recognize the gift as a citizen act », pleaded the deputy Les Républicains Pierre Cordier, author of the bill.

Adopted at first reading at 125 votes against 12 and now transmitted to the Senate, the Transpartisan text provides for a development during the working time of employees and public officials to allow them to go and give their blood, their plates or their plasma. They can do it via a « Authorization of absence » who will not be able to lead to a drop in remuneration.

« Today, the law allows the employer to maintain the remuneration of an employee during his absence for a donation, but it does not impose anything on him », noted the Minister of Health Yannick Neuder, favorable to this system « useful » For « Strengthen the chain of solidarity ». However, he has, like several parliamentary groups, relayed fears of workers worried about having to overcome very many absences.

« At a time when all entrepreneurs ask us to make their lives easier, you introduce a new organizational constraint, which is more expensive for the company, regretted Nicolas Turquois, speaker of the Modem group who opposed the initiative, with the Ciotists of the UDR. This text goes for me against the deep philosophy of the gift of blood, which is graceful and disinterested. ”

To respond to these alerts, the system has been very supervised, in particular by limiting the number of absences to a maximum of eight per year. Employees will also have to opt for the collection location « The closest » their home or workplace, and inform their employer for three working days before their donation. The bosses will also be able to oppose this request if it disrupts « The continuity of service » of the company.