Paris city hall fined for putting too many women in senior roles

Paris mayor to pay fine of €90,000 for breaking national rules in 2018 on gender parity

The Guardian

Paris city authorities have been fined for employing too many women in senior positions, a decision mocked as absurd by the mayor, Anne Hidalgo, on Tuesday.

The fine of €90,000 (£81,000) was demanded by France’s public service ministry on the grounds that Paris city hall had broken national rules on gender parity in its 2018 staffing.

“I am happy to announce that we have been fined,” Hidalgo, a member of the Socialist party, told a city council meeting, adding that she had been filled with joy when she learned of the penalty.

Hidalgo said she was faulted because 11 women and only five men were named to management positions in city hall in 2018, meaning that 69% of the appointments went to women.

“The management of the city hall has, all of a sudden, become far too feminist,” said Hidalgo, who was re-elected for a new term at the helm of Paris last year.

According to the text of the ruling cited by Le Monde, city hall violated a rule dating to 2013 that stipulates one sex should not account for more than 60% of nominations to management positions.

Hidalgo said she would take the cheque for the fine to the government in person, along with her deputy mayors and all the women working for her.

Read More at The Guardian

WIRE Team Editorial note = "eyeroll"