Facts & stats
France, officially the French Republic (French: république française), is a country whose territory consists of metropolitan France in Western Europe and several overseas regions and territories. France is a developed country with the world's seventh-largest economy by nominal GDP, and the tenth-largest by PPP. In terms of aggregate household wealth, it ranks fourth in the world.
Grow your team in France with Remote
Employing in France requires employers to own a legal entity in the country and manage payroll, tax, benefits and compliance through their own in-country resources. The complexity of employment regulations in France makes full compliance with employment laws a burdensome process.
Through Remote’s Global Employer of Record solution, your team is employed by our local legal entities in each country, and we take care of payroll, tax, benefits and compliance so you can focus on what matters most -- your people.
Risks of misclassification
France, like many other countries, treats self-employed individuals or contractors and full-time workers differently and there are risks associated with misclassification.
Employing in France
Employment law in France is not contained under a single law. Instead it is governed by statutory regulations codified in (among other laws) the French labour code, the French Constitution as well as European Commission and other international labour conventions. Furthermore, collective labour law through codetermination, trade unions and collective bargaining plays a significant role in French labour relations.
French employment law provides strong labor conditions and protections for employees, so employing people will be an important investment and commitment.
Temporary agencies are popular options for more flexible workforce arrangements. For these and many other reasons, the following are only guidelines in the broadest sense, and professional legal services are recommended when employing in France.
Public holidays
| Date | Holiday Name | Extra information |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | ||
| Good Friday | ||
| Easter Monday | ||
| May Day/Labour Day | ||
| Victory in Europe Day | ||
| Ascension Day | ||
| Whit Monday | ||
| Bastille Day | ||
| Assumption of Mary to Heaven | ||
| All Saint's Day | ||
| Armistice Day | ||
| Christmas Day | ||
| Saint Stephen's Day |
- Minimum
Wage -
The minimum hourly wage stipulate by law for 2019 is €1,522 per month, or €10.03 per hour. A higher minimum is often set by collective bargaining agreements, which are enforceable by law.
- Payroll
Cycle -
Monthly salaries must legally be paid before the end of the current month.
Taxes in France
Learn how employment taxes affect your payroll and your employees’ paychecks in France.
-
Employer
- 13.00% - Health, Maternity, Disability, Death
- 8.55% (ceiling of €3,311) - Old Age Insurance
- 5.25% or 2.45% - Family Benefits
- 4.05% (ceiling of €13,244) - Unemployment
- 0.30% - Autonomy Solidarity Contribution
- 0.15% - AGS (Wage Guarantee Insurance)
-
Employee
- 9.20% - Social Security Surcharge
- 6.90% (ceiling of €3,311) - Old Age Insurance
- 0% - Up to 10,084
- 11.00% - 10,085 - 25,710
- 30.00% - 25,711 - 73,516
- 41.00% - 73,517 - 158,122
- 45.00% - over 158,123
Types of leave
- Statutory
leave All full-time workers are legally entitled to 25 days paid holiday leave a year. In addition, full-time workers have 11 paid public holidays a year. The minimum amount of annual leave is 5 weeks.
- Pregnancy and
maternity leave -
The length of maternity leave for employees depends on the number of children of the mother:
- Single birth bringing mother's number of children to one or two - 16 weeks, broken down into 6 weeks before childbirth and 10 weeks after
- Single birth bringing mother's number of children to three or more - 26 weeks, broken down into 8 weeks before childbirth and 18 weeks after
- Multiple birth of twins - 34 weeks, broken down into 12 weeks before childbirth and 22 weeks after
- Multiple birth of triplets or more - 46 weeks, broken down into 24 weeks before childbirth and 22 weeks after
Additional maternity leave can be granted through the relevant collective bargaining agreement. Employees can also choose to increase or decrease proportion of maternity leave before and after childbirth with a physician's authorisation.
- Paternity
leave Male employees are granted three days of leave when the childbirth happens and are entitled to 11 consecutive days (18 days if multiple births or adoptions) of paternity leave. Paternity leave has to be taken within the first four months after the birth or adoption.
- Other
leave -
- Adoption leave: before adoption of a child, employees are entitled to 6 weeks of unpaid leave if travelling abroad to adopt a child. Length of leave after adoption depends on number of adoptions and whether the leave is shared between parents. When taken by one parent and up to two children, the duration is 10 weeks. For three or more children, the duration is 18 weeks. For multiple adoptions, adoption of twins, triplets or more, the duration is increased to 22 weeks. If shared by both parents, adoption leave is increased by 11 days (or 18 days in case of multiple adoptions).
Employment
termination
Termination process
French employers in general have the following ways to terminate the employment relationship:
- Termination by mutual consent through a settlement agreement;
- Dismissal for economic reasons, for example structural, economic and technological changes;
- Employee resignation with written notice and notice period as per employment contract;
- Urgent dismissal of the employee, for example in case of theft or any other serious misconduct.
Notice
period
The statutory notice period for an employer depends on the duration of employment. For employment duration between 6 months and 2 years, the notice period is 1 month. For employment duration over 2 years, it is 2 months. For executives, the notice period is 3 months.
Probation
periods
The maximum length of a probationary period is 8 months. Collective bargaining agreements also play a role here.
