The French government recently faced huge protests against unpopular changes to the country's labor law.
Most of its critics would argue that French workers increasingly face burnout and exhaustion.
But one employee has had far different problems: He sued his former company because his job was allegedly extremely boring.
The plaintiff, 44-year-old Parisian Frédéric Desnard, is demanding more than $400,000 from his former employer, a perfume enterprise, as compensation for the boredom it allegedly caused.
According to the Frenchman, the company should be held responsible for mental and other health damages as well as the financial consequences of him missing out on a promotion.
Desnard claims that he was removed from his previous high-profile position in the company, which included managing certain contracts and travel expenses.
For the next four years, he was asked to carry out much duller tasks.
Speaking to French newspaper Le Monde, Desnard said his company wanted to bore him "to death" in order to convince him to quit voluntarily and therefore limit severance payments.
But amid a sluggish French economy, Desnard simply decided to stay and do nothing. In the following four years, he reportedly earned more than $90,000 per year -- but the money did not fulfill him, he said.
"I was ashamed to be paid to do nothing," Desnard was quoted as saying by AFP. In an interview, he described the time as "hell" and "a nightmare," which caused multiple health issues, including "epilepsy, ulcers, sleep problems and serious depression."
The Frenchman was fired two years ago after a car crash forced him to go on sick leave for more than half a year.
After having paid him a salary of about $360,000 over four years, his employer stated that his prolonged absence was interrupting work processes and ended their relationship.
A verdict is expected July 27.
The Washington Post
Thu May 05 2016
"I was ashamed to be paid to do nothing."
Perkembangan konflik Iran-Israel
Bagi perinciannya kita bersama Ahli Kumpulan bagi Pertubuhan Perundingan Undang-undang Asia Afrika (AALCO), Profesor Datuk Dr Rahmat Mohamad.
[TERKINI] Malaysia zahir kebimbangan dengan kegagalan Majlis PBB mengiktiraf Palestin
Malaysia bimbang dan berasa amat kecewa susulan penggunaan veto di Majlis Keselamatan Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (UNSC) untuk menghalang kemasukan Palestin sebagai Anggota Penuh Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (PBB) pada 18 April 2024, walaupun terdapat sokongan daripada sebahagian besar Negara-Negara Anggota PBB.
Konsert Aina Abdul penanda aras baharu MPO - Konduktor
Kehebatan vokal penyanyi bersuara lunak dan lantang, Aina Abdul dalam menyanyikan lagu berentak genre balada sehingga mampu membuai emosi pendengar, sememangnya tidak dapat disangkalkan lagi.
Israel mungkin akan serang negara lain berdekatan Iran - Pakar
Pandangan dikongsi Prof Dr Salawati Mat Basir, Pakar undang-undang antarabangsa, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).
Adakah Freedom Flotilla ke Gaza bakal terjejas?
Perkembangan terbaru ni pastinya memberi impak kepada Misi Freedom Flotilla untuk menyalurkan bantuan kemanusiaan di Gaza.
Rakan setugas, Syaff Shukri bersama jurukamera Ab Uzza Ab Latif sedia berkongsi perkembangan terkini tentang perang terbaharu ini.
Rakan setugas, Syaff Shukri bersama jurukamera Ab Uzza Ab Latif sedia berkongsi perkembangan terkini tentang perang terbaharu ini.
Perkembangan konflik Iran-Israel
Bagi perinciannya kita bersama Prof. Madya Dr. Mohd Yazid Zul Kepli, Pakar Undang-undang Antabangsa, Kulliyyah Undang-undang Ahmad Ibrahim (AIKOL), Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia (UIAM).
Malaysia Airlines sambung semula penerbangan laluan Sabah, Sarawak, Labuan
Malaysia Airlines telah menyambung semula penerbangan ke dan dari Sabah, Sarawak dan Labuan secara berperingkat sejak petang semalam (18 April) susulan keadaan semasa cuaca.
Penerbangan ke Tehran, Isfahan dan Shiraz digantung
Semua penerbangan menuju ke bandar "Tehran, Isfahan dan Shiraz, lapangan terbang Barat, Barat Laut dan Barat Daya di Iran telah digantung.
Perkembangan konflik Iran-Israel
Bagi perinciannya kita bersama Prof Dr Salawati Mat Basir, Pakar undang-undang antarabangsa Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).
Menteri luar ASEAN gesa henti segera keganasan di sempadan Myanmar
Menteri luar ASEAN menggesa semua pihak menghentikan segera keganasan dan melaksanakan sekatan sepenuhnya di kawasan sempadan Myanmar.