13/10/2008
On 19 September this year, the Court of Appeal of Paris ordered the former employer of 39 workers forced to take early retirement due to asbestos exposure to pay compensation of up to 52,000 euros for loss of earnings.

The company, ZF Masson, located in the Yonne region (Burgundy) manufactures ship equipment. So far, none of the workers have contracted an asbestos-related disease.

They are already getting benefits equivalent to 65% of their salaries from Acaata, a government-backed fund set up for workers who are forced to take early retirement because of asbestos exposure. The court acknowledged that the loss of money due to their premature retirement had to be compensated.