On Friday the government approved a law governing insurance for workplace accidents and illnesses. The new law has its bright points, but an underlying darkness. Foremost, it increases the role that professionals at mutual benefit societies play in granting and investigating medical leave. The goal is to reduce absenteeism and mitigate fraud.
This measure is critical, and it will yield a savings of 300 million euros per year. But on the negative side, the law will force the Social Security system to cover the extra expenses and the benefit societies will pass through fines by creating a body called the Complementary Reserve. The government's generosity here is hard to understand. Why would it sue Social Security funds to help benefit societies?
