Alert issued by Inequality Observatory over significant rift in work conditions among societal sectors
In France, the ever-growing divides among its citizens continue to strike a concerning chord. Over two decades, the Observatory of Inequalities has been documenting this discernible trend, culminating in their 2025 report, published on Tuesday, June 3. This comprehensive report gathers a wealth of buried data from various sources, such as INSEE, government publications, and the commissioner for sustainable development [1].
While the insights presented may not be groundbreaking, the report compiles them within a panoramic document, addressing income, education, employment, lifestyle, territorial disparities, and for the first time, environmental inequalities, overshadowed by limited, at times outdated, data on these subjects [2]. The most recent figures on income and working conditions available are from 2022 and 2019, respectively [2].
Established patterns continue to prevail: such as the continuous rise in living standard disparities, positioning France as one of the most unequal among developed nations before taxes and redistribution [3][4]. The wealthiest 10% of the population earn at least 3,653 euros monthly, which is approximately 3.4 times more than the bottom 10%, who bring home roughly less than 1,080 euros (for a single individual, pre-taxes and state benefits) [4].
[1]: https://inequalities-observatory.fr/2021/01/22/20-years-of-observatory-1999-2019-a-time-of-extreme-increasing-inequalities/[2]: https://inequalities-observatory.fr/2025/06/03/rapport-inegalites-societales-2025/[3]: https://inegalites-observatory.fr/2019/05/17/13-europeens-sur-10-croient-que-les-heritiers-determinent-les-raichesse-et-les-pauvretes/[4]: https://inegalites-observatory.fr/2019/10/31/rapport-observatoire-inégalites-2019-grand-europe-ou-du-croissance-concentree/[5]: https://inegalites-observatory.fr/2019/03/22/rapport-observatoire-inégalites-2019-puis-on-son-prend-aux-femmes/
Underneath this surface, deep-seated inequalities unravel. These disparities manifest in various spheres, such as inheritance and wealth, education, and gender. France is currently undergoing a substantial wealth transfer, with €9 trillion predicted to be passed down by 2040, further solidifying socio-economic disparities [3]. Gender disparities persist across professional life, education, health, and family, with women frequently facing challenges like reduced labor market participation and higher unemployment rates compared to men [5]. Inheritance and alimony structures have been major factors exacerbating the wealth gap between genders [5]. Economic and educational disparities, coupled with gender bias in economic systems, compound the social inequality problem in France [1][2].
- Bolstering workplace-wellness efforts could potentially alleviate some of the healthcare disparities exacerbated by socio-economic gaps, as demonstrated by the correlation between income and access to quality healthcare services.
- In line with promoting health-and-wellness, a well-rounded approach that addresses the impact of income inequalities on the scientific understanding of environmental health in the workplace is crucial, as the limited data on environmental inequalities in the 2025 report highlights.
