Employers in Paris have been imposed fine for employing too many women in senior positions, a decision mocked as “absurd” by mayor Anne Hidalgo, reports AFP.

The fine of 90,000 euros ($110,000) was demanded by France’s public service ministry on the grounds that Paris city hall had broken national rules on gender parity in its 2018 staffing.

Telling that a city council meeting, the mayor said that she was happy to announce that they have been fined and had been filled with “joy” when she learned of the penalty.

The mayor said she was fined as 11 women and only five men were named to management positions in city hall in 2018.

“The management of the city hall has, all of a sudden, become far too feminist,” laughed the Socialist, who was re-elected for a new term at the helm of Paris last year.

Imposing the fine, the ministry said that city hall violated a rule dating to 2013 that states one sex should not account for more than 60 of nominations to management positions.

Hidalgo said that she would take the cheque for the fine to the government in person, along with her deputy mayors and all the women working for her.

Responding on Twitter, France’s Public Service Minister Amelie de Montchalin from the ruling Republic on the Move party acknowledged that the fine had been levied for 2018.

Since then the “absurd” rule on parity in management had been repealed, she noted.

“I want the fine paid by Paris for 2018 to finance concrete actions to promote women in the public service. I invite you to the ministry to discuss them!,” she said in a message to Hidalgo.