Moroccan Consulate Employee Challenges Salary Dispute in France
In a significant legal development concerning Moroccan expatriates, an administrative agent working at the Moroccan consulate in France has been embroiled in a salary dispute since 2018, claiming wage discrimination. The Court of Cassation recently uncovered a crucial error in the evaluation of documentation presented by the consulate, which necessitates a reevaluation of part of the ongoing legal proceedings. This case has drawn attention not only for its implications on the employee's remuneration but also for broader issues of workplace equality and justice for Moroccan nationals working abroad.
The crux of the disagreement centers around a specific document, designated as number 32, which was issued by the Kingdom of Morocco. This document detailed the salaries of consulate staff for December 2020. In January 2025, the Paris Court of Appeal ruled that this document was accompanied by the relevant payslips of the employees involved. Based on this assertion, the court dismissed the claims of wage discrimination made by one of their colleagues and limited the financial compensation awarded to him. However, it was later established that the payslips were not included among the documents that accompanied the salary list. In a judgment dated October 7, 2026, the Court of Cassation determined that the appellate judges had misinterpreted the evidence submitted by the consulate, leading to a partial annulment of their previous ruling.
Background of the Salary Dispute Since 2018
The origins of this dispute date back several years. The employee, who was hired by the Moroccan government on February 1, 2010, as a local agent at a consulate general in France, secured a permanent contract in November 2012 as an administrative agent. On January 18, 2018, he filed a complaint with the labor tribunal, seeking recognition of his status as a senior employee along with back pay and damages for alleged wage discrimination. The Paris Court of Appeal had previously awarded him a back payment totaling €6,307.44 for the period from 2015 to May 2019, along with €630.74 for corresponding paid leave. Nevertheless, his claim for compensation due to discrimination was rejected.
Now, with the Court of Cassation's latest ruling, these two points are being contested. The case has been remanded to another panel of the Paris Court of Appeal, which is tasked with reevaluating the claims of wage discrimination and determining any back pay that may be owed to the employee. According to the ruling from October 7, the initial claim of discrimination has not been definitively established.
Additionally, the Moroccan government has been ordered to cover the costs associated with the cassation proceedings, amounting to €3,000, to reimburse the employee for his legal expenses. The other aspects of the appellate court's decision that are not affected by this partial annulment remain unchanged.
As reported by bladi.net.
