Several reforms that came into force this summer are already affecting the day-to-day management of your employees, from “rupture conventionnelle” (mutually agreed termination) to sick leave. Others will follow on 1 October, and pay transparency is being prepared in Parliament..
Shorter unemployment benefits after a “rupture conventionnelle” (mutually agreed termination)
For individual “ruptures conventionnelles” where the contract ends on or after 1 September 2026, the maximum duration of unemployment benefits is reduced for all employees, regardless of age. It falls to 15 months before age 55 and 20.5 months thereafter, compared with 18 to 27 months previously depending on age. Only the duration of the benefits paid by unemployment insurance is affected. The termination indemnity owed by the employer does not change, and the employer contribution that applies to it remains at 40% as it has since 1 January 2026. This loss of entitlement will no doubt weigh on departure negotiations, particularly with older employees.
Sick leave certificates issued for no more than 31 days
Until 31 August 2026, no legislation limited the duration of a period of sick leave, which was left entirely to the prescriber’s judgment. For sick leave prescribed or extended on or after 1 September 2026, the initial certificate may not exceed 31 days and each extension 62 days. The prescriber may go beyond these limits if they state on the prescription that a longer period is necessary. The total duration of the absence is therefore not limited. A long absence will instead take the form of a succession of extension certificates, which the HR department will have to monitor as they arise.
Failure to have a “document unique” may cost 4,000 € per employee
Every employer must assess occupational risks and record the results in a “document unique” (single occupational risk assessment document). Until now, failing to do so exposed the employer only to a criminal contravention, which required proceedings before the police court. Law no. 2026-534 of 25 June 2026, in force since 27 June, opens a second route. On the basis of a report by the inspection officer and where no criminal proceedings have been brought, the authorities may warn an employer that lacks a “document unique” or impose an administrative fine of up to 4,000 € per employee concerned. A company with 20 employees could therefore face a fine of 80,000 € following a simple inspection.
Before the labour tribunal, an employee will be able to bring a claim without their exhibits
For proceedings brought on or after 1 October 2026, Decree no. 2026-683 of 27 July 2026 limits the exhibits that must be attached to the claim. A list of exhibits is sufficient, accompanied by the last payslip (or a document identifying the employer’s business activity). The exhibits are then exchanged during the proceedings instead of being filed with the court registry when the claim is brought. The employer will therefore see the opposing party’s file later and will have to assemble its own documents without waiting for those of the employee.
The stay on agreements concerning professional interviews ends on 1 October
The law of 24 October 2025 replaced the professional interview, held every two years, with a professional development review. This takes place during the first year after hiring and then every four years. A collective agreement may provide for a different frequency, provided it does not exceed four years. Companies that already applied an agreement on the frequency of interviews were nevertheless allowed to keep it unchanged. This stay ends on 1 October 2026, when those agreements must in turn comply with the four-year limit. If your company or industry has concluded one, check now what frequency it provides for.
Pay transparency is coming before Parliament
The European directive on pay transparency was supposed to be transposed by 7 June 2026 at the latest, a deadline that neither France nor Germany met. Presented to the Council of Ministers on 10 September 2026, the French bill is only just beginning its parliamentary journey. It notably proposes informing candidates of the remuneration offered or of a range, and giving employees a right to information about the average remuneration of their category. Nothing has yet been adopted. The text must be considered by the Senate and the National Assembly, and the thresholds, timetable and sanctions may still change. It remains to be seen what the members of Parliament will retain from it.
Sources : Convention du 15 novembre 2024 relative à l’assurance chômage, art. 9 ; avenant n° 2 du 10 avril 2026, agréé par arrêté du 19 juin 2026 ; CSS, art. L. 137-12 ; CSS, art. L. 162-4-4 and R. 162-1-7-1 ; décret n° 2026-498 du 12 juin 2026 ; C. trav., art. L. 8115-1 and R. 4741-1 ; loi n° 2026-534 du 25 juin 2026 ; C. trav., art. R. 1452-2 ; décret n° 2026-683 du 27 juillet 2026 ; C. trav., art. L. 6315-1 ; loi n° 2025-989 du 24 octobre 2025, art. 3 ; Directive (EU) 2023/970 of 10 May 2023 ; projet de loi de transposition, presented on 10 September 2026