The mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo has been fined €90,000 (Rs 8,120,144) for promoting more females than males during the recruitment of senior positions.
In 2018, Hidalgo promoted 11 women and five men to senior management positions. By doing so she breached a national rule, known as “Sauvadet law”. According to this law, employment of genders must by in gender parity.
The Sauvadet law explains that not more than 60 per cent of jobs should be employed by one gender.
However, in Hidalgo’s appointment of senior management, 69 per cent of those positions went to females. This created an imbalance to the gender parity in employment and also disregarded the national rule of 2013.
“11 women, 5 men … The City of Paris was fined 90,000 euros because too many female directors were appointed. With my assistants, the directors and the group presidents, we will therefore take this check to the Minister of Public Service,” she wrote on Twitter.
In the video from the council of Paris, Hidalgo can be seen addressing the council about the fine.
“This fine is obviously absurd. Even more, it is unfair, irresponsible, dangerous. Yes, we must promote women with determination and vigour, because the delay everywhere in France is still very great,” she said.
She further explained to the council that she and other female senior members would pay the fine to the Ministry of Public Service.
After learning that the mayor has agreed to the fine, Amélie de Montchalin, the minister of public service came out on Twitter to show her support to the mayor of Paris for female employment. She also explained that such fines were abolished in 2019.
“The cause of women deserves better! We repealed this absurd provision in 2019. I want the fine paid by Paris for 2018 to finance concrete actions to promote women in the public service. I invite you to the ministry to evoke them!” the minister of public service wrote on Twitter.