France provides old-age, survivors and disability protection through several separate programs.  A general social security system covers the majority of workers in the private sector, and numerous special systems cover other workers in specific occupational categories.  In order to qualify for French benefits, a worker must meet the applicable eligibility standards which, for certain types of benefits, include minimum length-of-coverage and recency-of-work requirements.

The totalization provisions set forth in Chapter 3 apply to the French social security laws which govern the payment of retirement, long-term invalidity, and survivors benefits under the general and special social security systems.  Under these provisions, France will combine U.S. coverage with periods of French coverage in order that persons who do not otherwise meet the minimum coverage or recency-of-work requirements may become eligible for a partial French benefit.

Under the French general system, old-age and some categories of survivors benefits may generally be paid based on as little as one calendar quarter of contributions.  Because of this immediate vesting, there will normally be no need for France to take account of a worker’s U.S. coverage for the purpose of establishing entitlement to these benefits.

While a worker can qualify for an old-age pension under the general system after a relatively short period of covered work, the amount of the pension is dependent upon both the duration of the worker’s coverage and the level of his or her earnings.  A full old-age pension is payable at age 60 with 150 quarters (37.5 years) of coverage.  A full pension is equal to 50 percent of the average of the 10 years of highest revalued earnings.  (Past earnings are revalued to reflect average wage increases.)  A worker who retires with fewer than 150 quarters receives a reduced pension. The pension amount may be increased by a spouse’s or child’s supplement. 

A periodic survivor benefit, called a reversionary pension, equal to 52 percent of the pension the worker was receiving or could have received at death, is payable to a widow, widower or surviving divorced spouse who has not remarried if the survivor is at least age 55 or disabled.  For surviving spouses under age 55 and not disabled, a small income-tested allowance is payable for 3 years in flat, decreasing annual amounts if the worker had been covered during the 3 months preceding death. 
In addition, a lump-sum death payment is made to the spouse or other survivor of a worker who has credit for a specified amount of covered work during the 6 months preceding death.    

Two types of permanent invalidity pensions are payable under the general system:  one for total disability (loss of 2/3 of working capacity).  To be eligible for an invalidity pension, a worker must have been registered in the social security system for at least 12 months and must have credit for at least 800 hours of work during the 4 calendar quarters preceding the work incapacity, including at least 200 hours during the first of these 4 quarters.  The annual amount of the total invalidity pension equals 50 percent of the worker’s average annual revalued earnings (subject to a maximum benefit equal to 50 percent of the contribution ceiling); the partial invalidity pension equals 30 percent (subject to a maximum pension equal to 30 percent of the contribution ceiling).  A supplement equal to roughly 75 percent of the average wage of workers in manufacturing can be paid if the beneficiary’s medical condition necessitates the constant attendance of another person.