The evolutions of wage guarantee

In times of economics crises, guaranteeing the payment of wages in the event of insolvency on the part of an employer is a cructical issue. In France, this protection is provided by a national insolvency fund, the Association pour la Gestion du régime des guaranties des créances des Salariés.
Since its creation in 1974, the AGS has undergone significant changes. While it was originally designed to compensate the deficiencies on a protection built on a system of privileges, it has now become a social buffer against a payment default on wages for the employees of a company in difficulty. Paradoxically, this evolution has ushered in further questioning with regards to the future of the fund, due to the considerable disparity between the amounts of the advances granted to the employees and those amounts reimbursed to the fund. The legislator and the courts have both contributed to the degradation of its situation by giving credence to the idea that the AGS is a substitute employer, which yielded the impression, for the employees, that it was a mere cash-teller for the payment of salaries. Although it is necessary to ensure the durability of this protective system, as a sui generis contribution to the common good, it might prove more and more difficult, if drastic measures are not taken promptly to fix the system.