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French President announces pro-business measures

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Re: French President announces pro-business measures

#111

Post by qwerta »

vacri wrote: post #101
qwerta wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

75% tax rate is very common in Europe even for workers with average salary. There are many hidden taxes such as 'social security insurance payed by employer'.

A load of tosh. "Income tax rates in France" in google gives you them with ease. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxation_in_France#Taxes_on_inc... In order to hit 40% income tax, you have to be a single on 70k or a nuclear family on 210k. Even if they have 20% VAT equivalent, that only works out to another 10% of what's left, leaving 50% as disposable income. And that's the highest tax bracket, and given that the avera…

As I wrote there is lot of hidden stuff such as taxes payed by employer plus social and health insurance. I don't care how it is called officially. It is calculated as percentage from income and one may go to jail for not paying it. There are also non-income taxes such as 60 percent VAT on petrol.

I am not French (Czech living in Ireland), so I dont know what is situation exactly, but I bet it is not much different. In Czech Republic I payed about 55% tax from my 1500 euro/month salary (bellow average for Prague).

From wiki you linked: > Taxes paid by employers on wages, namely social contributions, are not considered as taxes by the French central government.

Re: French President announces pro-business measures

#112

Post by Mikushi »

VSerge wrote: post #37
rikacomet wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

from a Indian guy, planning on coming to France for Higher Studies: France is sprinting now, when others are exhausted (USA, UK, China, India).. France is where it is right now.

Making generalizations is not my thing but I know two things. 1) A crisis and less jobs means more and more young people here are just saying "fuck it, let's startup my own business". 2) Some French startups have done great and became global players in the last couple years, like Criteo, and there are plenty new and fast growing companies that are recruiting talent not only in France but from all over Europe. I shoul…

Not expensive compared to London, really? I live in London, it is expensive, but the salaries are better here, more than compensating for the cost of living.

Re: French President announces pro-business measures

#113

Post by conradfr »

smoyer wrote: post #93

I remember hearing about France's 35-hour work-week (in the mid to late '90s I believe) and I'm curious if some of the Frenchmen here can tell us how eliminating that cap has affected the economy. Are people simply working more hours? Has unemployment gone up since a business needing X number of hours a week needs less workers? And most importantly, was that limiting the ability to create start-ups?

35 hours-week was set up during a time of (worldwide) growth and massive improvement of the unemployment rate. Discussing real effects of that law is doomed to an endless debate and heated arguments :)

Some facts :

- French are some of the most productive people in the world.

- Implementation of the law differs from company to company (35 hours, or additional day-off, or paid overtime).

- It's not uncommon for people to work longer unpaid hours.

- Salaries have stagnated (well, except for upper management and CEOs), which you can pin partly on that law.

- Unemployment is currently at an all time high, but it affects most of Europe.

Re: French President announces pro-business measures

#114

Post by seanmcdirmid »

jgrahamc wrote: post #108
LekkoscPiwa wrote: post #84

There is a reason for which there have been no big French or European company founded after WW2 (1945). The reason is called socialism. Think about it. BMW, Mercedes, Siemens, Loreal, Peugot, you name it! No Google from Europe, no Microsoft, no Oracle, or Tesla, or whatever. Not a single big company from the EU after 1945. Especially overregulated places like France. I met a French clothes designer in New York recent…

There is a reason for which there have been no big French or European company founded after WW2 (1945). So, the following don't count? Bouygues ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bouygues ) founded in 1952. Large conglomerate with 130,000 employees world wide. Capgemini ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capgemini ) founded in 1967. One of the largest IT consulting firms in the world. Carrefour ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki…

> Sodexo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodexo) founded in 1966. One of the largest food service companies in the world.

I now can blame the French for the spotty food service in my company.

Re: French President announces pro-business measures

#115

Post by cgrand-net »

LekkoscPiwa wrote: post #84

There is a reason for which there have been no big French or European company founded after WW2 (1945). The reason is called socialism. Think about it. BMW, Mercedes, Siemens, Loreal, Peugot, you name it! No Google from Europe, no Microsoft, no Oracle, or Tesla, or whatever. Not a single big company from the EU after 1945. Especially overregulated places like France. I met a French clothes designer in New York recent…

I know a French clothes designer who manages to bootstrap her business despite a shoestring budget and having the clothes made in France. http://www.afleurdorgies.fr/

Re: French President announces pro-business measures

#116

Post by smoyer »

yardie wrote: post #109
smoyer wrote: post #93

I remember hearing about France's 35-hour work-week (in the mid to late '90s I believe) and I'm curious if some of the Frenchmen here can tell us how eliminating that cap has affected the economy. Are people simply working more hours? Has unemployment gone up since a business needing X number of hours a week needs less workers? And most importantly, was that limiting the ability to create start-ups?

I work in France and I'm still trying to wrap my head around the 35-hour rule. I've only worked PMEs ( * General salaries are sort of trapped outside the big cities. You can work 35-hours but don't expect any pay raises. I think the avg salary is around 1500€/mo. I would say most people have built there lives around the 35-hour week and even though it's not an upper limit anymore I haven't noticed an uptick in workin…

Thanks for the information ... After working 60-80 hour weeks on the start-ups I've done, I just couldn't imagine how it would have been possible with the old laws.

Re: French President announces pro-business measures

#117

Post by gadders »

smoyer wrote: post #93

I remember hearing about France's 35-hour work-week (in the mid to late '90s I believe) and I'm curious if some of the Frenchmen here can tell us how eliminating that cap has affected the economy. Are people simply working more hours? Has unemployment gone up since a business needing X number of hours a week needs less workers? And most importantly, was that limiting the ability to create start-ups?

Every time I start a new contract or role in the UK, I need to sign a form waiving my rights to the 35 hour limit.

Re: French President announces pro-business measures

#118

Post by white_devil »

new299 wrote: post #88
MetaCosm wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In the US -- we look at some of our most successful businesses and a ton of them had bankrupt companies in their past... Ford (cars), Disney (media), Lincoln (president), Heinz (condiments), Hershey (candy), Twain (author), Fox (media) -- tons of others...

The flipside of that in anecdotally I've heard that companies that really /should/ die limp along from a long time and get more funding in the US. Is this true or just a myth?

> The flipside of that in anecdotally I've heard that companies that really /should/ die limp along from a long time and get more funding in the US. Is this true or just a myth?

Banks that get bailed out are companies that should have died.

Re: French President announces pro-business measures

#119

Post by brown9-2 »

LekkoscPiwa wrote: post #84

There is a reason for which there have been no big French or European company founded after WW2 (1945). The reason is called socialism. Think about it. BMW, Mercedes, Siemens, Loreal, Peugot, you name it! No Google from Europe, no Microsoft, no Oracle, or Tesla, or whatever. Not a single big company from the EU after 1945. Especially overregulated places like France. I met a French clothes designer in New York recent…

The extent of your argument seems to be "socialism", "just think about it", and one anecdote. If we are going to boil down a country's economic history to one word can we at least be more reasoned about it and elaborate more?

Re: French President announces pro-business measures

#120

Post by protomyth »

yardie wrote: post #100
subsystem wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Back taxes has very little to do with the system and very much to do with your employers bookkeeping?

I've been with my employer for 6 years and have never had a problem such as this. I also pay my taxes in monthly instalments that is predetermined by the fonctionnaires.

In the US, I've noticed following the instructions on the W-2 to pick your deductions (and set how much of your check is taken in taxes) does not give the correct amount with some employers. I am not sure if its software or just poor accounting. I started just putting 0 and calling it a day.

good luck with yours

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