Leave Policies in France

Mandatory Leave Policies in France

The annual leave entitlement in France is 30 working days for a full-time worker. These days are in addition to public holidays, which are separate from the annual leave entitlement.

Public Holidays in France

France observes 11 public holidays mandated by law, which are separate from the minimum holiday entitlement in the French Labor Code. The Alsace region and the Moselle department observe two extra days. Employers usually grant these public holidays as days off, and collective bargaining agreements specify that employees must take time off on these days:

Types of Leave in France

Sick Leave

Employees with over three months of service and 150 hours worked are entitled to unlimited paid sick leave based on their regular salary. They must provide a medical certificate to the employer within 48 hours to obtain a Social Security salary certificate. The first three days serve as a qualifying period, and from the fourth day onward, Social Security covers the pay. Additional compensation from the employer is detailed in collective or company agreements.

Paid Time Off

As per France's labor code, employees are entitled to a minimum of five weeks of paid vacation annually. Paid leave is granted after completing one month of probation, in addition to public holidays. However, it is customary to allocate extra leave days through collective bargaining agreements. Unused leave may sometimes be carried over with employer approval.

Maternity Leave In France

Maternity leave lasts 16 weeks for the 1st or 2nd child (6 weeks before the due date, 10 weeks after birth), extendable for third or subsequent children, and much longer for multiple births (twins, triplets). The leave may also be extended in cases of medical complications.

To receive maternity pay from Social Security, the employee must have been affiliated for 10 months before the due date, and also have worked at least 150 hours during the 90 days prior to the start of leave (or contributed equivalent in other cases). Payment is based on the average salary over the three months preceding the start of the leave, subject to a social security ceiling/cap. Allowances are paid every 14 days.

Paternity Leave

Paternity leave lasts 28 calendar days (35 in case of multiple births). The first 3 working days after birth are paid by the employer, followed by 25 calendar days covered by social security. Of this, 4 consecutive days must be taken immediately after the birth, and the remaining 21 days can be used within 6 months, either consecutively or split into two periods of at least 5 days. Multiple births add 7 extra days. Eligibility generally requires notifying the employer at least one month in advance. Payment is based on the average daily salary over the last 3 months, subject to a social security cap.

Parental Leave

Employees with at least one year of service at their child’s birth may request up to one year of unpaid parental leave, renewable twice up to a maximum of three years, or switch to part-time (pro-rata) with employer approval. A monthly PreParE allowance is available, subject to prior insurance contributions, with extended support for those with multiple children. In addition, parents can take 3–5 days’ leave for a child’s illness, with extensions possible depending on the child’s age and medical condition.

Sick Leave In France

Employees with over three months of service and 150 hours worked are entitled to unlimited paid sick leave based on their regular salary. They must provide a medical certificate to the employer within 48 hours to obtain a Social Security salary certificate. The first three days serve as a qualifying period, and from the fourth day onward, Social Security covers the pay. Additional compensation from the employer is detailed in collective or company agreements.

Family and Emergency Leave

Employees can take family solidarity leave for up to three months to care for critically ill relatives. If an employee experiences the loss of an immediate family member, they are entitled to three days of leave.

Adoption Leave

In the case of adopting a child that involves travel, employees can take six weeks of unpaid leave.

Special Leave Types

Sabbatical leave is available for 6-11 months but is unpaid and subject to employer approval. Other types of unpaid leave may be granted at an employer's discretion.

Best Practices for Implementing Leave Policies in France

 
• Clear Communication: Ensure employees understand their leave entitlements and procedures.
 
• Consistent Policy Application: Apply leave policies uniformly to maintain fairness.
 
• Accurate Record-Keeping: Track leave balances and usage for compliance and planning.
 
• Encouraging Leave Utilization: Promote a culture that supports taking time off to improve well-being and productivity.

Providing Leave Benefits in France With an EOR

A competitive compensation package is critical to attract and retain the best talent, but every country different regulations, customs and expectations. That’s the advantage of using a trusted Employer of Record like Playroll to manage benefits for your global team. They can:

• ‍Handle the benefits admin: Playroll ensures compliant contracts with built-in statutory checks. Add region-specific premium benefits, while we handle administration and employee claims. Manage leave, expenses, and more – all in one easy dashboard.
• ‍Run global payroll: An EOR will act as your payroll provider, paying your employees on your behalf in the local currency. The company will also have in-depth knowledge of local tax codes, regulatory practices, and everything else that goes into managing global payroll.
• ‍Alleviate compliance concerns: Different countries each have their own federal and local laws governing employee payments. An EOR helps ensure that you are compliant with the unique set of laws for any country in which your company operates. This is extremely important since a compliance slip-up can result in heavy fines or even a lawsuit.