France: paid leave, how many days and how many euros

The days: 2.5 a month, 30 a year

Each month of actual work with the same employer gives the right to 2.5 working days, full-time or part-time. Working days (jours ouvrables) are all days of the week except the weekly rest day and public holidays not worked: a full year makes 30 working days, or 5 weeks. Four weeks of work equal a month.

When the result is not a whole number, the leave is rounded up to the next day: 5 months of work give 2.5 × 5 = 12.5, rounded to 13 working days. The employer may count in business days (jours ouvrés), Monday to Friday, provided it guarantees at least the same rights: 25 business days a year.

The reference period, June 1 to May 31

Days are counted over the reference period, which runs from June 1 of the previous year to May 31 of the current year, unless a collective agreement or company agreement provides another. Some companies, in construction or entertainment, fall under a paid leave fund: their period runs from April 1 to March 31.

Absences that count, and those that do not

Counting as actual work, and so giving leave: paid leave itself, maternity, paternity and adoption, family events, absences for work accident or occupational illness, several training leaves. Unless a more favorable provision applies, these do not count: strikes, full-time parental leave, sabbatical leave, unpaid leave, caregiver leave.

Since April 24, 2024, absence for non-work illness or accident also gives leave: 2 working days per month of absence, 24 a year at most. The employer therefore counts on one side the days earned by working, on the other those earned during the absence.

Extra days for children

An employee aged at least 21 on April 30 of the previous year gets 2 extra days per dependent child, without exceeding 30 working days in all. A child is dependent if they live in the household and are under 15 on April 30 of the current year, or if they are disabled, whatever their age. Under 21, the increase is 2 days per child, reduced to 1 day if the leave earned does not exceed 6 days. The collective agreement can go further, for seniority or age.

What a day is worth: the tenth or maintenance

During leave, the employee receives holiday pay, calculated in two ways: one-tenth of the total gross pay of the reference period, or salary maintenance — what they would have earned by working. The more favorable amount is paid. Overtime, commissions, benefits in kind and the previous year’s holiday pay count in the pay; the year-end bonus, incentive pay, profit sharing and professional expenses do not.

Service Public’s example: €24,000 gross over the period. The tenth gives €2,400 for 30 working days; for 2 weeks of leave, or 12 days, €2,400 × 12 ÷ 30 = €960.

When to take it

1. Leave is taken in the period from May 1 to October 31, set by the agreement or, failing that, by the employer after consulting the works council (CSE).
2. The employer announces it at least 2 months before it opens and communicates the departure dates at least 1 month ahead.
3. You cannot take more than 24 working days in a row, or 4 weeks, except in particular situations.
4. The employee tells the employer the dates they want; the employer may refuse them and propose other dates.