Last verified: October 2026 — Sources: Service-Public.fr, Ameli.fr, Légifrance
As an employee in France you are entitled to several types of paid leave: sick leave (arrêt maladie), maternity leave, paternity leave and leave for family events. This guide covers the requirements, daily allowances and the specific rights of foreign workers in 2026.
Sick leave (arrêt maladie)
New prescription limits since September 2026
Since 1 September 2026, an initial ordinary sick-leave certificate is normally limited to 31 days, and each extension to 62 days. Healthcare professionals may justify a longer prescription if the patient’s medical circumstances require it. These limits apply to each certificate, not to the entire length of a medically justified absence. See the official Assurance Maladie explanation (French).
Eligibility for social-security daily allowances (IJ)
- Leave of up to 6 months: at least 150 hours worked in the previous 3 months, or contributions on pay of at least 1,015 times the hourly SMIC over the previous 6 months.
- Leave beyond 6 months: affiliated for at least 12 months and at least 600 hours worked in the previous 12 months (or contributions on 2,030 times the hourly SMIC).
- The sick-leave certificate must be sent to the CPAM within 48 hours.
Daily allowance (IJ) calculation
- Formula: 50% of the daily base salary.
- Daily base salary: total of the last 3 gross salaries ÷ 91.25.
- Salary cap: 1.4 times the monthly SMIC, i.e. €2,613.82 gross/month (from 1 July 2026).
- Maximum IJ: €42.97 gross/day.
Waiting period and duration
- Waiting period: 3 days per sick leave. No waiting period if the gap between two leaves was 48 hours or less, or in the case of a long-term illness (ALD).
- Maximum duration: 12 months over a rolling 3-year period. For ALD: up to 3 years.
- IJ are paid for every calendar day, including weekends and public holidays.
Employer top-up
In addition to the social-security IJ, the employer must top up the salary if the employee has at least 1 year of seniority:
- Employer waiting period: 7 days (top-up starts on day 8). For a workplace accident or occupational disease, from day 1.
- First half of the entitlement: 90% of gross salary.
- Second half: 66.66% of gross salary.
| Seniority | Maximum top-up duration |
|---|---|
| 1 to 5 years | 60 days (30 + 30) |
| 6 to 10 years | 80 days (40 + 40) |
| 11 to 15 years | 100 days (50 + 50) |
| 16 to 20 years | 120 days (60 + 60) |
| 21 to 25 years | 140 days (70 + 70) |
| 26 to 30 years | 160 days (80 + 80) |
| 31 years or more | 180 days (90 + 90) |
The applicable collective agreement may provide more favourable conditions, such as full salary maintenance.
Maternity leave (congé de maternité)
| Situation | Prenatal | Postnatal | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st or 2nd child | 6 weeks | 10 weeks | 16 weeks |
| 3rd child or more | 8 weeks | 18 weeks | 26 weeks |
| Twins | 12 weeks | 22 weeks | 34 weeks |
| Triplets or more | 24 weeks | 22 weeks | 46 weeks |
- Allowance: IJ equal to 79% of the daily base salary (21% flat-rate deduction).
- Salary cap: monthly social-security ceiling: €4,005 gross/month in 2026.
- Maximum IJ: €104.02 gross/day.
- Minimum IJ: €11.12/day.
- No waiting period.
- Requirement: at least 150 hours worked in the previous 3 months and a social-security number for at least 6 months.
Paternity and child-welcoming leave (congé de paternité)
- Birth leave: 3 working days, paid by the employer.
- Paternity leave: 25 calendar days (single birth) or 32 days (multiple birth).
- Mandatory period: 4 calendar days immediately after the birth leave.
- Optional period: 21 days (or 28), which can be split into a maximum of 2 periods of at least 5 days each, to be taken within 6 months of the birth.
- Allowance: IJ at 79% of the daily base salary (same formula as maternity). Maximum: €104.02 gross/day.
- The employer cannot refuse the leave if notified at least 1 month in advance.
Additional birth leave introduced in July 2026
Since 1 July 2026, France has introduced congé supplémentaire de naissance, an additional paid birth or adoption leave on top of, rather than replacing, existing maternity, paternity and adoption leave. Subject to eligibility rules, each parent may take one or two months. Compensation is based on 70% of the reference net salary for the first month and 60% for the second, subject to statutory limits. The scheme can cover children born from 1 January 2026; notice and take-up deadlines depend on the circumstances. See the official Service-Public guide (French).
Leave for family events
The Labour Code grants paid leave for certain family events, with no seniority requirement:
| Event | Days (legal minimum) |
|---|---|
| Marriage or PACS of the employee | 4 working days |
| Marriage of a child | 1 working day |
| Birth or arrival of a child for adoption | 3 working days |
| Death of spouse, PACS partner or cohabiting partner | 3 working days |
| Death of father, mother, parent-in-law, brother or sister | 3 working days |
| Death of a child | 12 working days (14 if under 25) |
| Announcement of a child’s disability, chronic illness requiring therapeutic education or cancer | 10 jours ouvrables (French statutory working days) since 14 June 2026. Official French guidance. |
In the event of the death of a child under 25, an additional 8-day bereavement leave is added. The applicable collective agreement may provide longer durations.
Leave for a sick child (congé pour enfant malade)
- 3 days per year if the child is under 16.
- 5 days per year if the child is under 1, or if the employee has 3 or more children under 16.
- Unpaid under statutory law (the collective agreement may provide for salary maintenance).
- No seniority requirement. A medical certificate is required.
Rights of foreign workers
All these rights apply equally to foreign workers who contribute to the French social-security system, regardless of nationality.
EU/EEA/Swiss citizens
- Same rights as French workers, with no residence permit required.
- Contribution periods in another member state can count towards the affiliation requirements.
Non-EU nationals
- A work-authorising residence permit is required.
- Being on sick leave is not grounds for withdrawal of the residence permit.
- Watch out for renewals: if the permit expires during extended leave, apply for renewal well in advance at the prefecture.
Related guides
- Health insurance in France
- Unemployment in France: France Travail and ARE
- Retirement in France
- Cost of living in France 2026
Official sources
- Service-Public.fr — Arrêt maladie
- Service-Public.fr — Congé de paternité
- Ameli.fr — Assurance Maladie
- Légifrance — Code du travail
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Conditions may change. Please consult official sources or a professional for your specific situation.