Ski hosting French ruling

[B-well]

A French court has found against Ski Club of Great Britain employee Ken Piddlesden for ski hosting, after a hearing on December 8 2014.

The action was brought after Mr Piddlesden was stopped on a piste in Val d'Isère, France, in April last year while skiing with a group of Ski Club guests. He was questioned by French police, who accused him of breaking a law that states that "it is a legal requirement to have the relevant and appropriate qualifications to instruct, lead or guide skiing groups if remuneration is received".

The Ecole de Ski Français (ESF) supported the prosecution in the case, and the ruling made on January 12 2015 saw Mr Piddlesden fined €10,000 with a further suspended fine of €5,000. The ESF was awarded €1 in symbolic damages.

The Ski Club maintains that the action is misguided and inappropriate, arguing that Club leaders are non-remunerated volunteers – their basic living and travel expenses, as well as their lift pass, are paid for, but they are not compensated for their time showing guests around the mountain. French law stipulates that remuneration means anything "superior to the reimbursement of the duly justified costs".

This latest blow in the ski hosting row comes in the wake of a string of similar cases over the last year.

 

[Chipster]

Similar thing is happening with regard to Mountain Bike guiding in France too.

 

[Forestboy]

He must know the law its not exactly new the French are looking after their own.

 

[Hollyberry]

The French like all work to be paid and declared. I was told when I first moved to a France that helping an elderly neighbour with her garden could be sen as unpaid work and therefore illegal. Seemed going too far to me.
I had volunteers stay with me on two occasions ---I provided room and board they did a few hours work each day, gardening, decorating etc Technically this was also illegal, the official line being you pay someone registered to work and they pay tax, cotisations etc.

If you make an insurance claim on say storm damage, only a percentage is paid. You get the remainder when the paperwork is sent in, showing the work was done by a registered workman.