The purpose of a CIE is to ensure its beneficiary receives practical training during working hours in order to make it easier for them to enter the job market.

The employment initiation contract is not subject to the same provisions as a traditional employment contract. However, the legal and conventional rules relating to night work, overtime, working on public holidays and Sunday work remain applicable.

The beneficiary of the CIE are afforded the leave entitlements that apply in the business where they work.

Who is concerned

The beneficiary of the CIE must:

• have been registered with the National Employment Agency (Agence pour le développement de l'emploi - ADEM) as an unemployed job seeker for at least 3 months. In certain circumstances, the ADEM can make an exception to the registration duration for young jobseekers who are waiting for an apprenticeship contract to be drawn up.
• be under 30 years of age;

A 'promoteur' (an 'employer' under the terms of a CIE) must be a person or business who/which can offer the young person:

• either real job prospects at the end of the contract;
• or better employability, thereby improving the young person's prospects on the job market.

How to proceed

Signing the contract

Once the employer has chosen a candidate, the ADEM will draw up a CIE, which must be signed in triplicate by:

• the ADEM employment officer for young people;
• the beneficiary of the CIE.
• the employer.

Duration of a CIE

The CIE is entered into for a duration of 12 months. However, the director of the ADEM may extend the CIE for a maximum period of 6 months upon a justified request by the employer. The application for extension must be submitted no later than one month before the initial end of the CIE.

At the end of the contract, the director of the ADEM can authorise the signing of a new CIE with a different employer upon justified request from said employer.

Working conditions

Young people on a CIE are afforded the leave entitlements that apply in the business where they work, in accordance with the law and the conventions in force.

Moreover, the beneficiary of the CIE must also be registered for social security by their employer.

Mentoring the beneficiary

The young person on a CIE has a mentor, chosen by the employer from within the ranks in house; The mentor's role is to assist and guide the beneficiary of the CIE throughout the contract period. The ADEM employment officer for young people may invite the mentor to attend training or information sessions.

By mutual consent with the beneficiary of the CIE, the mentor must inform the ADEM of the beneficiary's skills and deficiencies, as well as the progress that needs to be made by the beneficiary during the contract period.

The employer must, within one month of the start of the working relationship:

• establish a training plan with the mentor and the beneficiary of the CIE;
• and send a copy of the training plan to the relevant ADEM youth employment officer as soon as possible.

The young beneficiary of the CIE may be offered theoretical training during working hours.

Depending on their individual integration path and level of training, the young person may also be offered training courses organised by the employer, or by public and private institutions and organisations involved in training.

Six months after the start of the contract and eight weeks before its end, the young beneficiary of the CIE will be assessed by the employer, in conjunction with the ADEM, whether or not the contract is to be extended.

In any case, the employer must allow the young jobseeker to:

• fulfil their obligations to the ADEM during work hours – specifically with regard to job offers, meetings and training courses;
• to attend one or more job interviews obtained on their own initiative.

The young jobseeker's attendance at any job interviews must be proven by a certificate of attendance, provided by the ADEM as a pre-printed form. The certificate of attendance must:

• be given to the employer; and
• a copy must be sent to the ADEM employment officer for young people.

Payment

Throughout the whole contract period, the employer pays the beneficiary of the CIE a basic salary of:

• 80 % of the social minimum wage for unskilled workers, in the case of young people under the age of 18;
• 100 % of the social minimum wage for unskilled workers, for young people at least 18 years of age;
• 130 % of the social minimum wage for unskilled workers, for young people holding an advanced technician's certificate (BTS), a bachelor's or a master's degree.

Beneficiaries of the CIE who received more in unemployment benefits than the compensation they receive through the CIE are entitled to request a supplementary allowance paid by the ADEM. To receive the allowance, the beneficiary of the CIE must submit a monthly request on plain paper to Mrs Michèle Wilwers (Financial management of support measures - young persons – Gestion financière des mesures - jeunes) together with a copy of the pay slip. The supplementary allowance is paid out for as long as the concerned party is entitled to unemployment benefits.

The remuneration paid to the beneficiary of the CIE is subject to the normal social security and tax treatments applicable to salaries.

Optionally, the beneficiary of the CIE may also be awarded a bonus for special merit by the employer.

Termination of the contract

By the young person

The young person may terminate his contract for specific and compelling reasons. If they do, they must notify their employer of the termination by registered letter, and give at least 8 days notice.

By the employer

The contract can also be terminated by the employer.

Employers wishing to terminate the CIE during the first 6 weeks of the initial contract must:

• notify the young beneficiary of the CIE of its termination by registered letter, giving at least 8 days notice;
• send a copy of that notification to the ADEM.

Employers who wish to terminate the CIE after the first 6 weeks of the initial contract must:

• send a written request to the ADEM and secure the latter's approval;
• then, once approval has been granted, notify the young beneficiary of the CIE of its termination by registered letter, giving at least 8 days notice.

The procedure for termination for serious misconduct is similar, whether it occurs during the first 6 weeks or later, except that the notice period of 8 days is not applicable.

Expiration of a CIE

Eight weeks before the end of the CIE, the ADEM and the employer must assess the young job seeker, regardless of whether or not the contract is to be extended.

In any case, when a CIE reaches its end, if the young person is not going to be hired, the employer must provide them with a completion certificate specifying the nature and duration of their work and the training received, if applicable;

Contract extension

If the employer wishes to extend the contract, they must send a justified request to the director of the ADEM, stating the precise reasons for the extension.

The ADEM will then draw up an amendment to the contract.

The decision to extend the contract will take account of the results of the assessments and the conclusions arising from a discussion between the beneficiary of the CIE and the ADEM.

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