XPANDIUM provides complete Employer of Record, Payroll and Benefits Management Services and solutions for companies wanting to hire employees compliantly and run a full payroll without establishing a legal entity in France.
Your selected candidates get hired by Xpandium’s own local PEO entity. We take care of the compliant onboarding, payroll, tax payments, benefits, so you can focus on what is important: managing your employees and growing your business
Hiring employees in France means that there are some important factors to consider. Firstly, France has strict rules around employment termination and not adhering to those can lead to legal issues and unforeseen costs. It is important to ensure that employers are fully aware of the termination process to avoid harsh repercussions and long legal cases.
Secondly, a few years ago France introduced a new law called the “right to disconnect.” The law requires organizations and companies with more than 50 employees to forbid employees from sending or replying to emails after work hours.
The French labor market is well regulated and governed by many laws which protect the employees’ rights. There are complex rules and procedures that must be followed in cases of onboarding, working times, day-offs, illness, termination.
Employment contracts should be written in French.
Probation period is optional and maximized at 3 months with a potential and mutual agreement between employer and employee on extending such period with an additional 2 months.
In France the maximum working hours are dependent on the type of contract signed; Workers (salarie) or executive (cadre).
For workers, the work week means 35 hours working time. The working day may not exceed 10 hours. Employees may not work more than 4 and a half hours without a break.
The maximized working day may reach 12 hours but prior mutual agreement on terms required between employee and employer.Executive employees earning over a certain salary may work longer hours and can be compensated with additionally given resting days (holiday) rather than OT hours pay. Minimum resting hours between working days must be 11 hours. Minimum resting period in a week must be 35 hours including at least 1 day off every 7 days.
Remote employees receive a home working allowance of EUR 100 per month and to offset having to use part of the employee's home for professional purposes and the intrusion in their private life.
The current minimum wage is €1,522 per month, or €10.03 per hour.
Not mandatory.
Salaries are paid on a monthly basis and in general on the last working day of the calendar month.
~31.3%
NAME
DATE
INFO
New Years Day
January 1
Good Friday
April 2
Region Alsace and Moselle
Easter Monday
April 5
Labour Day
May 1
Victory in Europe Day
May 8
Ascension Day
May 13
Whit Monday
May 24
Bastille Day
Jul 14
Assumption of Mary to Heaven
Aug 15
All Saints’ Day
November 1
Repentance Day
November 11
Christmas Day
December 25
Saint Stephen’s Day
December 26
Region Alsace and Moselle
There are no obligatory fringe-benefits that an Employer should offer, however a voluntary and custom plan can be set up for your employees. This means that in addition to salary, employees may receive one or more non-salary compensation.
Supplementary medical insurances (private or dental / vision)
Supplementary life insurance
Additional paid holidays
Voluntary pension fund scheme
Offering individual benefits for one or a selected group of employees needs to be planned and advised to be signed with a side agreement along with an employment contract.
Full-time employees in France are entitled to a statutory minimum of 25 days of paid holiday per year, plus the public holidays of 11 days. The minimum annual paid leave is 5 weeks.
Falling ill on a workday means that the worker must report to the employer and certify leave with medical documentation by a doctor.
Maternity leave length depends on the number of children the mother has.
Three days of leave given to fathers when childbirth happens and up to 25 days (split into 4 days mandatory and 21 optional) Multiple births mean 32 days (4 days compulsory, 28 optional).
Employers have the below options to terminate an employment contract in France:
Executive employees have a statutory notice period of 3 months. For workers, if the employment period exceeds 6 months to 2 years, the notice period is 1 month. If employment exceeds 2 years or for supervisors the notice period is statutory 2 months. For executive employees, the statutory notice period is 3 months.