[gzread]

You think they have these things, but they don't.

I am theoretically eligible to get 60% of my income for 3 months after losing my job, while I look for my new job. But if I actually try to claim that, they demand so many documents and meetings that it's not actually practical to receive that benefit. The only people who can receive benefits are the people who are experts at navigating the benefit system.

For instance, if you do not file a certain form on a certain exact day, then your benefits will not start until 3 months after you became unemployed. That is exactly the same time period this unemployment insurance benefit normally covers. By that time you should already have a job anyway and they will ask you to explain why you couldn't get a job in 3 months, since the benefit normally only covers 3 months.

Nobody will tell you how to navigate this. Nobody will tell you the correct form to fill out on the correct day. If you don't already know the arcane rules, you don't get the money. This is how most European social benefits work. They aren't actually provided to normal people.

[BoingBoomTschak]

That's perfect, actually! We should do that in France, so only people who actually need the money will make the effort.

As is, we have some middle class "hippies" finding ways to backpack travel across the world on the taxpayers' dime.

[justin66]

The main thing I’m getting from this comment is that Fox News must exist in France.

[genxy]

Sounds like a startup opportunity.