French Court Grants Moroccan Worker Disability Pension After Assessing Job Prospects
After three years of battling the health insurance system, a Moroccan worker suffering from chronic back pain won his case in French courts. The CPAM argued that he could still work. The judges took a closer look at his actual prospects of finding a job.
A plasterer by trade, this Moroccan national had worked for several years in construction, both in France and Morocco, before back problems forced him to stop. He could no longer carry heavy loads, repeat certain movements or even sit for too long. As early as March 2020, an occupational physician had recommended that he retrain for a different profession.
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But the pain did not go away. It persists every day, worsens with the slightest exertion and regularly disrupts his sleep. Despite pain medication and physiotherapy sessions, the former worker struggles to stand or walk for long periods, according to medical records reviewed by the court.
In January 2023, he therefore applied for a disability pension from the CPAM in Puy-de-Dôme. Four months later, his application was denied. The insurance fund’s medical adviser said his health problems did not sufficiently reduce his ability to work. Even a painful case of sciatica, the adviser argued, would not prevent him from taking a suitable job. The Clermont-Ferrand court initially ruled against him in March 2025, but the Moroccan man decided to appeal.
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That was precisely the point on which the case turned. If the man can no longer work in construction, what profession could he turn to? According to the ruling issued on 15 September 2026 by the Riom Court of Appeal, his qualifications and experience are essentially limited to manual trades.
The prospect of retraining for office work runs up against two very real obstacles: he is not proficient with computer tools and has difficulty understanding French, a problem already noted during a hospital stay. Under these circumstances, the judges found it “highly unlikely” that he could succeed in an administrative job.
Another key factor was that the medical expert appointed by the court disagreed with the CPAM. Based on the same conditions, the expert concluded that his capacity to work or earn had been reduced by at least two-thirds. The judges accepted this assessment, finding that the insurance fund had underestimated the impact of his pain on his working life.
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The Court of Appeal ultimately overturned the initial ruling and recognized the Moroccan man’s right to a Category 1 disability pension, effective 16 January 2023, subject to his meeting the administrative requirements. Unlike the most severe disability categories, this one allows recipients to continue earning an income.
The CPAM must now calculate his entitlements and cover the legal costs of both proceedings.