France short-time work share: machinery and equipment
France short-time work share: machinery and equipment stood at 0.25% in Q2 2026, according to URSSAF – Union de recouvrement des cotisations de sécurité sociale et d'allocations familiales. It is one of the indicators in the Private employment and short-time work (URSSAF) table (Value · Quarterly), with a complete series running from Q1 2018 to Q2 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Private employment and short-time work (URSSAF) table
| Indicator | Q2-2026 | Q1-2026 | Q4-2025 | Q3-2025 | Q2-2025 | Q1-2025 | Q4-2024 | Q3-2024 | Q2-2024 | Q1-2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short-time work base as a share of the gross wage bill | |||||||||||
| Machinery and equipment n.e.c. | 0.25 | 0.38 | 0.33 | 0.22 | 0.18 | 0.31 | 0.39 | 0.24 | 0.22 | 0.27 | |
| Transport equipment | 0.3 | 0.38 | 0.39 | 0.36 | 0.36 | 0.65 | 0.56 | 0.43 | 0.41 | 0.45 |
Understanding france short-time work share: machinery and equipment
Subsidized wage replacement shares computed for curtailed working schedules within general machinery and equipment manufacturing enterprises measure the relative financial weight of government-backed idle hours. The definition targets firms producing general-purpose and special-purpose machinery, industrial engines, pumps, and agricultural equipment, while excluding motor vehicles and electrical appliances. This mechanical engineering focus highlights how capital investment cycles and international trade friction impact specialized industrial production without forcing layoffs. Total gross remuneration paid across these engineering workshops establishes the baseline against which state compensation is evaluated.
Seasonality in this sector is frequently driven by traditional summer factory closures across client industries, generating predictable quarterly peaks in idle-time claims. Analysts evaluating period-on-period movements should verify whether shifts stem from genuine order book contractions or routine retooling periods between manufacturing runs. Revisions to early estimates are standard as medium-sized engineering firms reconcile complex working-time arrangements. Direct comparisons with service or retail metrics fail to capture the heavy machinery sector's sensitivity to corporate capital expenditure cycles.
Frequently asked questions
- What machinery is covered under this specific manufacturing classification?
- The series includes general and special-purpose machinery, industrial pumps, and engines, but excludes motor vehicles.
- How do retooling periods impact this mechanical engineering indicator?
- Scheduled factory retooling between production runs can temporarily elevate compensated idle hours.
- Why should analysts avoid comparing machinery metrics directly with retail data?
- Machinery manufacturing depends heavily on corporate capital expenditure cycles, whereas retail tracks immediate consumer demand.