Bayard pays up to five months extra for full-rate retirements

Bayard, the Malakoff-based press group, has signed an accord on accompanying the renewal of generations with five representative unions: CFDT, CFTC, CGT, CSN-CFE CGC and SNJ. Concluded at Malakoff on 1 July 2026Legifrance for three years to 30 June 2029, it replaces all existing same-object arrangements including the 2013 contrat de génération provisions carried over for the youth-network staff. The backdrop is stark: 123 employees will reach statutory retirement age during the accord — half of them journalists at La Croix, Pèlerin and Notre Temps — and the company posts a EUR 5.2 million operating loss for 2024/2025 with a EUR 10.8 million deficit budgeted, so every replacement while the margin stays negative needs directoire approval, communicated to the team at least three months before departure.

The centrepiece is a supplementary retirement-departure indemnity, on top of the conventional indemnityLegifrance, for employees who declare their departure at least eight months aheadLegifrance and liquidate at the full rate without reductionLegifrance. It scales with seniority: one month's salary for 2 to 5 years, two months for 6 to 10, three for 11 to 20, four for 21 to 30, five from 31 yearsLegifrance — gross monthly amounts including a 13th-month pro rata, capped at 63% of the monthly social-security ceilingLegifrance, i.e. EUR 30,000 gross at signatureLegifrance, moving yearly with the ceiling. Staff earning under twice the SMIC get two further months on top. Registration closes 30 June 2029Legifrance for a full rate by 28 February 2030 at the latestLegifrance; those already at full rate before 30 June 2026 are ineligible, while those reaching it between 1 July 2026 and 28 February 2027 may join within two months of signature, by 31 August 2026, without the eight-month noticeLegifrance. The top-up can be advanced to buy back quarters, monthlyised for an early exit, or assigned to keep pay whole on a move to part-time outside phased retirement.

Phased retirement (retraite progressive) is promoted from age 60Legifrance, with part-time between 40% and 80% of full time and a partial pension alongside salary. Bayard guarantees net reference pay: 90% at an 80% schedule, 85% at 70%, 80% at 60%, 75% at 50%, 70% at 40%, via a top-up paid each half-year in July and January, conditional on actually drawing the pension and producing proof. Pension and provident contributions stay on the prior full-time basis, employer and employee shares both company-paid, and the final departure indemnity is computed on the twelve months before entering phased retirement. VRP sales staff in the youth network qualify under the self-employed-style income tests of the social-security code, preferably at 80% with one weekly pension day.

Senior employability measures include career-oriented reviews at 55 covering training, digital and AI transitions, ergonomics and knowledge transfer, plus a further HR exchange in the two years before 60. Staff 62 and over may claim an extra weekly telework day; over the three years before liquidation, employees may bank up to 24 paid-leave and 22 RTT days (12 and 11 per year) as end-of-career leave, unpaid if untaken. Recruitment policy keeps at least 28 apprentices a year toward 5% of headcountLegifrance, converts 20% of end-of-course apprenticeships to fixed or open-ended contracts, and targets CDI hiring at least equal to accord retirements over the three years.

Legal basis: accord relatif à l'accompagnement du renouvellement des générations, Bayard SA du 1er juillet 2026; loi du 24 octobre 2025 relative à l'emploi des salariés expérimentés; articles L. 2261-7-1 et D. 2231-2 et D. 2231-7 du code du travail.