4 ms·

Are startups also required to provide 5 weeks of paid vacation + public holidays? Also, are there limits on the number of hours worked per week? I'm all for w

Are startups also required to provide 5 weeks of paid vacation + public holidays? Also, are there limits on the number of hours worked per week? I'm all for workers benefits, but I don't see how a startup with limited funding could afford those benefits to their employees.

SamReidHughes 10y ago
I'd compare the costs of vacation, short work days, to the cost of a Bay Area salary.
- cracker_jacks 10y ago
  But the salaries for Bay Area startups are usually much lower than the standard tech companies like FB and Google. Startups make up for the difference by distributing equity (which could potentially be worth more in the long run, but could also be worthless).
  - hocuspocus 10y ago
    Even assuming worthless equity, for the cost of one employee in SF you can hire two in Paris. Startups in France get several kinds of tax breaks. Also, many founders get started while on unemployment benefits.
    - cracker_jacks 10y ago
      What are you thinking the salary of early stage startups are in the Bay Area? I really doubt the ratio is 2:1 compared to Paris.
      - hocuspocus 10y ago
        Gross salary would be more like 3:1. Real cost to the employer at least 2:1. I just opened AngelList to search for junior developer positions at seed-stage startups and it confirms the ratio. SF: 80-120k Paris: 30-45k
tom_mellior 10y ago
Yes, the laws of France apply to companies doing business in France.
aweb 10y ago
Well employees health is also quite important and vacations help with productivity and are useful against burnout. I worked in several French startups and they seemed to be able to care about their employees and make money
scaryclam 10y ago
Most of the French folks I meet say that French employment law is the number 1 reason why startups can't work terribly well in France. As well as all of the benefits you listed, there are employee protections that make it very difficult to get rid of staff if things start to go wrong. Not being French, I don't know the details, but it's supposed to be much easier to run a startup in Germany or the UK. They both have their own employee protection but it looks a bit more evened out.
renaudg 10y ago
"Contrary to national stereotypes, French workers are more productive than their German counterparts and only marginally less productive than American workers." http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2013/02/25/french-workers/ http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2013/02/25/french-workers/

SamReidHughes 10y ago

I'd compare the costs of vacation, short work days, to the cost of a Bay Area salary.

cracker_jacks 10y ago
But the salaries for Bay Area startups are usually much lower than the standard tech companies like FB and Google. Startups make up for the difference by distributing equity (which could potentially be worth more in the long run, but could also be worthless).
- hocuspocus 10y ago
  Even assuming worthless equity, for the cost of one employee in SF you can hire two in Paris. Startups in France get several kinds of tax breaks. Also, many founders get started while on unemployment benefits.
  - cracker_jacks 10y ago
    What are you thinking the salary of early stage startups are in the Bay Area? I really doubt the ratio is 2:1 compared to Paris.
    - hocuspocus 10y ago
      Gross salary would be more like 3:1. Real cost to the employer at least 2:1. I just opened AngelList to search for junior developer positions at seed-stage startups and it confirms the ratio. SF: 80-120k Paris: 30-45k

tom_mellior 10y ago

Yes, the laws of France apply to companies doing business in France.

aweb 10y ago

Well employees health is also quite important and vacations help with productivity and are useful against burnout. I worked in several French startups and they seemed to be able to care about their employees and make money

scaryclam 10y ago

Most of the French folks I meet say that French employment law is the number 1 reason why startups can't work terribly well in France. As well as all of the benefits you listed, there are employee protections that make it very difficult to get rid of staff if things start to go wrong. Not being French, I don't know the details, but it's supposed to be much easier to run a startup in Germany or the UK. They both have their own employee protection but it looks a bit more evened out.

renaudg 10y ago

"Contrary to national stereotypes, French workers are more productive than their German counterparts and only marginally less productive than American workers." http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2013/02/25/french-workers/ http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2013/02/25/french-workers/