The easiest way to Hire and Manage in France

Employees in France are entitled to five weeks (30 working days) of paid annual leave per year based on a five?day workweek, calculated at 2.5 days per month worked. In addition to annual leave, many companies and collective agreements grant RTT days (reduction of working time compensatory days) if weekly hours exceed contractual thresholds. France recognises 11 national public holidays, which may be treated as paid days off depending on contract terms and employer practices. Employees continue to accrue statutory benefits even when on maternity or sick leave.

Female employees are entitled to 16 weeks of paid maternity leave for the birth of the first and second child — generally six weeks before and ten weeks after childbirth. For the third child and beyond, maternity leave may be extended up to 26 weeks. Maternity benefits are paid through the French social security system (Assurance Maladie) and often supplemented by collective agreements or employer policies.

Fathers are entitled to 28 days of paid paternity and childcare leave, which includes three days of birth leave plus 25 days of paternity leave (or 32 days in the case of multiple births). These days are typically paid through social security or employer arrangements.

In addition to annual, maternity, and paternity leave, French labour law provides for parental leave where a parent can reduce or stop work to care for a child, with partial benefits available under social security. Employees also have rights to sick leave benefits (with daily allowances from social security after the legal waiting period), bereavement leave for family deaths under specified conditions, marriage leave, and caregiving leave for seriously ill relatives.