In France, there are several sectors of activity in which employees can affect premiums. But one in particular, which brings together 1.6 million employees, rewards loyalty …
Vacation bonus, Christmas bonus, bonus on objective … In the business world, there are several ways to earn a little money in addition to your salary. And, while we will now have to work longer before retiring, certain areas also reward longevity.
Indeed, in France, an employee can obtain the work medal. It is a purely honorary distinction, accompanied by a diploma, and it depends on two main criteria: seniority of services and the filing of an application file. The medal is awarded by levels, which correspond to a duration of services in the private sector, in France or abroad for a French company. Thus, there are no less than 4: silver medal (20 years of service), Vermeil medal (30 years old), gold medal (35 years old) and finally the large gold medal (40 years of service).
But, beware, the medal is not automatically attributed. It is up to the employee or his employer to take the process. Nothing very complicated, the request is made to the prefecture (or the labor department, depending on the departments) of the employee’s place of residence. The file must be complete and submitted using the CERFA form n ° 11796. Once the request was validated by the prefecture, a prefectural decree is published. It is after this publication that medals and diplomas are issued. The metal medal itself must often be purchased by the recipient or its employer …
On the remuneration side, practice is not a legal obligation, but some employers do it and it depends in particular on the collective agreement of the sector of activity. Thus, numerous collective metallurgy agreements provide for the payment of a premium, the amount of which is often indexed to the hourly minimum wage (for example, 60 times the hourly minimum wage for the silver medal, 200 times for the Great Gold).
This therefore potentially concerns many people since, according to data from the branch, the new national metallurgy collective agreement, which entered into force in 2024, covers a very large number of employees in France: around 1.6 million employees, distributed in more than 42,000 companies. This sector, which brings together industries such as aeronautics, automotive, steel industry, electronics and mechanics, is one of the largest professional branches in France.
