How long is parental leave in France?

Parental leave in France lasts for 1 year and can be renewed twice, for a total of up to 3 years. For parents with 3 or more children, this leave can be renewed up to 5 times.

Additionally, the supported employee is entitled to:

• 1 day for their child's wedding.
• Adoption leave:
• If only one parent takes adoption leave, they are entitled to 10 weeks of leave starting up to 7 days before the child arrives.
• If the adoption brings the total number of children in the family to 3 or more, the leave is extended to 18 weeks.
• In cases of multiple adoptions, the leave is further extended to 22 weeks.
• If both parents take adoption leave, the leave is increased by 11 days (or by 18 days in the case of adopting twins, triplets, or more).
• 2 days in cases of disability or cancer in children.

What are the eligibility rules for parental leave in France?

To be eligible for parental leave in France, a supported employee must have at least 1 year of seniority.

How is parental leave payment calculated in France?

During parental leave in France, the employee is not paid by the employer. Instead, payments are made by social security.

What is the process for applying for paternity leave in France?

In France, the process for applying for paternity leave involves the following steps:

• A supported employee is entitled to a birth leave (“conge de naissance”) of 3 business days. This leave must be taken from the actual day of birth or the following business day.
• Additionally, there is a paternity leave (“conge paternite”) of 25 calendar days. Of these 25 days, 4 days must be taken immediately following the birth leave.
• The supported employee must provide Velocity Global with the birth certificate and the exact dates of the planned paternity leave.

It is important to note that, under French law, employers are not obligated to maintain the supported employee's salary during the paternity leave. The salary is maintained during the birth leave, but for the paternity leave, the supported employee receives a percentage of their normal salary paid by the social security center (CPAM).

How long is maternity leave in France?

French law provides the following maternity leave for supported employees:

• Giving birth to 1 child, bringing the total number of children to 1 or 2: 16 weeks in total (6 weeks before birth + 10 weeks after birth)
• Giving birth to 1 child, bringing the total number of children to 3 or more: 26 weeks in total (8 weeks before birth + 18 weeks after birth)
• Giving birth to twins: 34 weeks in total (12 weeks before birth + 22 weeks after birth)
• Giving birth to triplets or more: 46 weeks in total (24 weeks before birth + 22 weeks after birth)

In cases of medical complications, 2 additional weeks before birth and 4 additional weeks after birth are provided.

What are the eligibility rules for maternity leave in France?

To be eligible for maternity leave in France, an employee must:

• Be registered with social security for at least 10 months.
• Have worked 150 hours during the last 3 months or 600 hours during the last 12 months.

How is maternity leave payment calculated in France?

Maternity leave in France is paid by the social security system.

What is the process for applying for maternity leave in France?

In France, the process for applying for maternity leave involves several steps:

• The supported employee must first obtain an official certificate of pregnancy from her doctor. This certificate, along with the expected maternity leave dates, should be sent to Velocity Global France via email.

• It is important for the supported employee to verify with her doctor whether the pregnancy information has been shared with French social departments, specifically CPAM (Caisse Primaire d'Assurance Maladie) and CAF (Caisse d'Allocations Familiales). If not, the employee must contact these organizations to ensure they are informed of the pregnancy.

• The supported employee must specify the exact dates of her maternity leave. The typical period is 6 weeks before the expected birth date and 10 weeks after giving birth, as noted in the doctor’s certificate.

• During maternity leave, the employment agreement is suspended, and the supported employee will not receive a salary. However, she is entitled to receive a daily maternity indemnity (Indemnité Journalière, IJ). This indemnity is calculated based on the employee's personal situation by CPAM and ranges between EUR 11.02 and EUR 101.94 per day in 2025.

• An employer may choose to provide 100% of the employee’s salary during her maternity leave. In this case, Velocity Global France will maintain the salary and receive the CPAM indemnities directly.

How long is the paternity leave in France?

In France, fathers are entitled to 25 days of paid paternity leave for the birth or adoption of their child. For multiple births or adoptions, the entitlement extends to 32 days.

Out of the 25 days, there is a mandatory leave of 7 days that must be taken immediately following the birth or adoption of the child. This mandatory leave includes:

• 3 days of birth leave (“congé de naissance”) provided by the employer.
• 4 days of paternity leave.

The remaining days (18 days for a single birth/adoption or 25 days for multiple births/adoptions) can be taken consecutively or split into two periods within the first 6 months following the birth or adoption.

What are the eligibility rules for paternity leave in France?

Adoptive fathers are also eligible for paternity leave in France. Fathers with at least 1 year of service on the date of the birth can take unpaid leave up until the child's 3rd birthday or return to work on a part-time basis.

How is paternity leave payment calculated in France?

In France, paternity leave payment is calculated as follows:

• The employer pays for the first 3 days of paternity leave.
• Social security covers the payment for the remainder of the paternity leave period.

What is the process for applying for parental leave in France?

To apply for parental leave in France, a supported employee must:

• Submit a request via letter or email, specifying the desired dates for the leave. Parental leave is initially taken for 1 year but can be extended twice until the child is 3 years old. It may also be for a shorter period.
• Indicate if the request is for full-time parental leave (complete absence) or for a specific percentage of time, such as working only 80% (partial parental leave).
• Send the request 1 month before the end of the initial maternity or paternity leave or 2 months prior to the desired start date of parental leave.

During parental leave, the employee is not entitled to remuneration. However, depending on individual circumstances, the employee may be eligible to receive indemnity from the Caisse d'Allocations Familiales (CAF).