Is it better to work and be broke, or to rely on welfare? Recently, I was talking about my sister who works as a nanny, earning about $1,800 per month. After she covers work-related expenses and pays another nanny to take care of her own child, she’s left with about $350. Now, she’s also dealing with a divorce and needs a place to stay, which costs $1,200 for a modest 450 sq. ft. one-bedroom apartment located 20 minutes from the heart of Paris. Her ex-husband and our parents are helping a bit, but she’s just scraping by.
In France, my sister could actually stop working and depend on welfare. She could receive a state allowance of $938 for herself and her child, which would help cover living expenses. She could also apply for state housing, where she could get a similar one-bedroom flat for $600, which would be further reduced by $325 with additional state housing aid, bringing her rent down to $275. This would leave her with $663, slightly more than what she has now if she works and rents privately.
Moreover, she’d get some extra perks, including:
– Completely free healthcare. Usually, in France, you cover 30% of healthcare costs, but on state benefits, she wouldn’t pay anything.
– A free monthly transit pass worth $100, covering unlimited use of buses, trams, and the underground in Paris and its surrounding areas.
– A $200 bonus for Christmas.
– Discounts on home phone, broadband, gas, and electricity, saving her $50 a month.
– No need to hire a nanny since she wouldn’t be working.
– Next year, when her child starts school, school lunches and after-school activities like sports and art classes would be free or heavily discounted based on her income.
– Additional supplements for buying books and clothes at the beginning of the school year.
– Access to many museums, swimming pools, and even tennis court rentals for free.
– The possibility of getting food at a heavy discount through a social supermarket.
I have to say, I admire my sister for not giving up, despite having no chance of career advancement and being likely to remain a nanny with a salary that will only increase with inflation.
The temptation to abuse such a generous system is strong, and many do, thereby exploiting programs meant for emergencies only. Some people end up living off these benefits for most of their lives, citing reasons like being too depressed, having minor injuries, or simply preferring the higher “income” they get from staying home. The government is now trying to implement a system where if you’re offered a suitable job not too far from home, and with decent pay, you must take it or lose your benefits. However, this system is still far from perfect.
So, would you choose to work and support the system if you made more by staying at home and doing nothing?
