In the Midst of a Wave of Layoffs, “Dark Stores” Choose Staff Representatives

Angéline Duffour, an employment partner in the Paris office of Cohen & Gresser, spoke with Agence France-Presse (AFP) about the recent layoffs in France at “dark stores” – stores that are not open to the public and set up solely to fulfill online orders fast – right before these companies were required to implement a Social and Economic Committee (CSE) that would have allowed elected staff representatives to defend the employees through the implementation of an Employment Protection Plan (PSE).

Angéline noted that executing the layoffs prior to the implementation of the CSE might have saved these companies millions of euros, given that the time required to implement professional elections and a PSE is up to 12 months, and the companies would have to pay the remunerations of the employees and related social security charges during that time.

Angéline added that companies that implement at least ten individual dismissals over a period of 30 days always have an obligation to set up a PSE, whether there are already staff representatives or not. She also highlights some of the potential risks employers could face without a PSE in place.

This article also appeared in leading nationwide French newspapers Le Figaro, La Tribune, Libération, and a variety of other local French publications.