It is 11 less than in the previous quarter

Cornerstone of the Act, employment and purchasing power, overtime exempt from payroll had been until then saved by the crisis. It is finished. In the first quarter of 2009, their numbers began to decline. According to statistics published Wednesday by the Central Agency for social security organizations (Acoss), a volume of 165 million has been made. It is 11 less than in the previous quarter. Companies are also more likely to have totally abandoned the overtime ( 3 points).

These data must however be considered with caution, because the collection of data that started that late 2007, they are not yet corrected seasonal variations. The decrease observed on a year by the Acoss, who reached 5, is therefore more significant, because it smooths their impact.

Almost all departments

Six months after the beginning of the rise in unemployment, the overtime began to be impacted by the crisis. The phenomenon of decline is General. It affects all departments except Corsica and some departments of the South and Ile-de-France. It is even more important than it seems, because the maintenance of the 39 hours in companies of less than 20 employees leads to rigid overtime because listed in the contract of their employees, so unlikely to fall to the wishes of the activity.

Statistics from Acoss, which isolate the enterprises of fewer than 10 employees, confirm the high difference in behaviour between very small businesses and others. They show indeed that their volume of overtime increased 5 early in 2009, then only that employers of 10 employees and over decreased by 8.1. Large companies, employing more than 2,000 employees, nevertheless are the largest providers of overtime: they are 9 out of 10 to be used against a third party in the very small businesses.

Impact on purchasing power

On the sectoral level, the industry is obviously the most affected. Exceptions are only the agri-food and pharmacy. The decrease reached even 30 in the manufacture of transportation equipment. Metallurgy and especially automotive experience an acceleration of the reduction of overtime and pass below the low end of 2007. The building, after a rebound in the second quarter of 2008, falls.

On the tertiary, its continuous decline since the middle of the year 2008 clears the previous progress. On a year, the decrease is 2.2. Computer, financial and insurance activities and those related to the health record notable increases, but the sectors directly affected by the crisis as the transport and storage ( 8.7) and real estate activities ( 16) and the activities of services administrative ( 9.2) are more that compensate.

Overall, the decrease in overtime will have a negative impact on the purchasing power of households: they accounted for an average of 8.8 hours on all the employees in the first quarter of 2009 against 9.9 hours end of 2008. On the other hand, it will limit the budgetary cost of the Tepa law this year. Acoss sales to 659 million the total amount of the exemptions from charges in the first quarter. In 2008, they had represented EUR 2.9 billion.