Full Employment Law: in the French West Indies, a reform deemed poorly suited to local realities

Published 2026-11-07

The Full Employment law (loi pour le plein emploi), passed by Parliament in 2023, is drawing criticism in the French West Indies. According to an article published by the media outlet NVO, the text does not take sufficient account of the social and economic situation in Martinique and the other territories of the region. The headline of the article sums up this criticism with a punchy formula: "Even at France Travail, a third of employees have a precarious contract!"

The law aims to increase the number of people in employment and to better support job seekers. In particular, it provides for stronger support for recipients of the RSA (active solidarity income), who are in principle required to devote fifteen hours per week to an activity, such as training, an internship or a job. The government presents this measure as a way of bringing people without work closer to the labour market.

For local stakeholders who criticise the reform, the problem stems from the particular characteristics of the Antillean labour market. Unemployment there is often higher than in mainland France, and precariousness affects a significant share of employees, including in public institutions. These critics argue that nationally standardised solutions cannot always meet these realities, and they call for rules to be adapted to the specific circumstances of the overseas territories.

This debate is a reminder that employment policies do not apply in the same way everywhere in France. The overseas departments and regions, with their own economic and social difficulties, are looking for responses suited to their needs. Whether the Full Employment law can achieve its objectives in these territories therefore remains an open question.

Sources: NVO

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