Law No. 88-16, 5 January 1988

Among other things, this Law extends the scope of social protection granted to mothers In France. It seeks to ensure that women who stay at home to bring up their families are not penalized in any way and to encourage such women to have a third child. The following are among measures of the Law: 1) entitlement to receive benefits in kind from the sickness insurance scheme in the event of divorce or the death of the spouse was previously restricted to a limited period (one year, extended until the date of the third birthday of the last child); it is now granted without limit of time and without charge, in the event of either contingency, to single parents aged 45 or over who have, or have had, three or more dependent children; 2) the possibility for any parent with dependent children residing in France and not engaging in any occupational activity to join the voluntary old-age pension scheme has now been extended to cover invalidity; the contributions payable (which may be deducted from family allowances) will be calculated on the basis of the minimum guaranteed wage (SMIC); 3) reversionary pensions of widows between ages 55 and 65 who have dependent children are to be increased by a uniform amount, set at 400 francs per month and adjustable; and 4) periods of maternity leave will be taken into account in the determination of seniority rights within an enterprise, particularly in the context of notice of dismissal (half of all periods of parental educational leave were already taken into account).