"Too Many Women in Senior Positions" France Fines Paris City Hall for 'Sex Discrimination'

11 out of 16 Executives in 2018 Were Women... 90,000 Euro Fine

Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris (third from the left) [Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] The city of Paris, France, has been fined over 100 million won for hiring too many women in senior positions. In France, the proportion of one gender in management staff cannot exceed 60%.

According to the Guardian on the 15th (local time), the French Ministry of Public Service imposed a fine of 90,000 euros (about 120 million won) on the Paris city hall, stating that in 2018, the proportion of women among senior management staff appointed by the city hall reached 69%, violating the national gender equality regulations.

In 2013, France enacted a law stipulating that the proportion of one gender among management staff cannot exceed 60%. The legislative intent at the time was to provide more opportunities for women to hold management positions, but this time, a fine was imposed because there were too many women. Although the regulation applied this time was abolished last year, it was still applicable because the personnel appointments at Paris city hall were made in 2018.

Mayor Anne Hidalgo pointed out that among the 16 management staff appointed by Paris city hall in 2018, 11 were women and 5 were men. She sarcastically said, "I am pleased to announce that Paris has been fined," adding, "The city hall's operations have suddenly become excessively feminist." She also said she would personally go to submit the fine check together with the deputy mayor and all the female staff working with her.

Mayor Hidalgo was elected as Paris's first female mayor in 2014 and successfully won re-election last year. She emphasized that gaps still exist everywhere and that French women need to be actively promoted, stating, "This fine is clearly absurd, unfair, irresponsible, and dangerous." Mayor Hidalgo said, "To achieve gender equality in the future, we need to accelerate the pace," and added, "More women should be appointed than men."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.