Now that I need to find a job I saw this advert in an employment office searching for some workers. Some roles I knew, others I was not familiar with.

Zingueurs – zinc worker/roofer

Chaudronniers – boiler makers/ heating engineers maybe

Electriciens– electricians

Serruriers -locksmiths

Not sure I am suitable for any of them.

Comme l’année dernière c’est le 6 Janvier – l’Épiphanie et alors il y a des galettes des rois.

Cette année on a acheté une galette et une brioche des rois.

C’est bien de essayer les nouvelles choses, n’est ce pas?

On n’a pas encore trouvé les feves.

As regular readers will know I have not applied for my job in Brussels – so, as of next April I will be being made redundant encore une fois. So I am entering the last three months of my employment at Euronews.

In France there are a myriad of ways to leave a company – and it’s all quite complicated.

So here’s my guide – it might not all be correct but it’s my best understanding to date. And be warned, there are plenty of acronyms.

So the first thing is the French trade unions – Comité Social et Economique – CSE. They spent more than six months with the Euronews managers to agree un Plan de Sauvegarde de l’Emploi or PSE.

There’s the first confusing thing because the plan to safeguard jobs saw Euronews close 199 jobs. It seemed to be more about negotiating the best terms for those people whose jobs were affected by the reorganisation.

After lengthy negotiations the two sides agreed so the details of the plan were sent to DREETS (Directions régionales de l’économie, de l’emploi, du travail et des solidarités) – a regional administrative department dealing with all things employment.

It took them a few weeks but they also agreed the plan for job closures at Euronews.

Plenty of jobs have closed and people have been leaving Euronews every day. Our Spanish team are now in Madrid, our Italian team in Rome, our German team in Berlin and our Portuguese team in Lisbon.

There is a pot de depart every week if not day.

Because the jobs in France are closing, employees are entitled to something called CSP – Contrat de Sécurisation Professionelle.

As mentioned in a previous post, it has just been renewed for another year.

It means those of us looking for a new job get a generous support package while we search.

So I can just leave Euronews at the end of March and all will be well?

Not exactly – I have to leave using some called Depart volontaire (not so volontaire really) creation d’entreprise.

My plan is to start a digital consultancy business and stay in France for a while if possible.

Euronews even gives me some money to help start the business.

I am working with a consultant from Lee Hecht Harrison on my business plan.

Cath had a great idea for a name based on our trip to Guadeloupe – Colibri Media.