In a recent legal case, France Travail sought to recover an astounding €129,253 from a beneficiary, claiming that he had made repeated trips to Morocco that indicated he had abandoned his habitual residence in France. However, the Nanterre tribunal significantly reduced the amount owed, ruling that these trips did not substantiate that he had permanently relocated to Morocco.
The individual in question had received unemployment benefits from November 5, 2019, until February 28, 2021, and again from October 8, 2022, to October 31, 2024. In April and July of 2025, France Travail issued a formal demand for the complete repayment of €129,253.46, accusing the beneficiary of failing to report absences exceeding seven days and for exceeding the annual limit of 35 days spent abroad, which they argued indicated that he no longer resided habitually in France—a critical requirement for receiving unemployment benefits.
The beneficiary contested this assertion in the Nanterre judicial court, acknowledging part of the debt but requesting a reduction to €28,804.86. In a judgment dated July 30, which can be accessed on Pappers Justice, the court determined that most of the flights recorded between France and Morocco were for stays of less than seven days, insufficient to demonstrate habitual residence in Morocco.
The tribunal further noted that the existence of a property in Morocco did not convince the judges, as a water bill provided by France Travail indicated consumption patterns inconsistent with permanent occupancy. Conversely, the beneficiary’s bank statements revealed numerous withdrawals and transactions conducted physically in France from 2019 to 2023.
It is also important to highlight that while failing to report an absence can lead to sanctions or suspension of benefits, it does not automatically necessitate the repayment of all funds if the eligibility criteria for receiving those benefits remain satisfied. As such, no undue payments were deemed applicable for the years 2019 to 2023. However, the scenario changed in 2024 when the beneficiary admitted to primarily residing in Morocco during February, April, May, July, and September.
Consequently, the court ruled that he could not claim unemployment benefits for those five months, ultimately reducing the repayment amount from €129,253.46 to €26,374.62. Additionally, the judge allowed a payment plan consisting of nineteen monthly installments of €1,315, followed by a final payment of €1,389.62. France Travail’s other claims, including the €5,000 sought for procedural costs, were denied.
As reported by bladi.net.
