It is my understanding from talking to employees on the French side that employers are required to pay them unless they expect a 2+ year of business interuption. If they file for this, the employees are given a payment(?), and then are released from the employer. That is why you see so many of the "big" guys not expecting to reopen until 2020. As long as they are not open 100% before that date, they have no obligation to former employees and can hire new.