French Payroll Guide

Q: How does payroll work in France?

In France, employees are generally salaried and paid monthly. Each employee must be registered on their employer’s Mutuelle and Prevoyance unless they operate private schemes. They must also have strict employment contracts (often in dual language) that adhere to the correct collective bargaining agreement and seniority.

Q: What are the regulations around leave?

When an employee is sick, they will generally be entitled to paid leave. They can receive pay for up to 90 days depending on seniority, and must have at least one year’s service with the company. A medical certificate is required for any absence.

Q: What about dismissing an employee?

Employment rights are very strict in France. We suggest speaking to one of our Employment Law Advisors before taking any action. Dismissal can be a very lengthy process and there are a list of steps that must be adhered to, but we are able to handle all aspects of this to ensure compliance throughout the process.

Hiring employees in France

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French Payroll Guide

Hiring employees in France

Currency

Euro (EUR)

Population

67,067,000

Capital

Paris

Official language(s)

French

Date format

dd/mm/yyyy

Fiscal year

1 January – 31 December

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Hiring Employees in France

The minimum growth wage (SMIC) in France is set at €11.88 per hour, or €1,801.80 per month, as of 1^st November 2024. This is based on the legal working time of 35 hours per week for full-time employees.

In France, individual income tax rates are calculated on a progressive scale. For the 2024 tax year, the tax rates for each band of taxable income are as follows:

PAYE Tax Rates (2025):

0% tax rate, which applies to annual earnings up to €11,497.
11% tax rate, which applies to annual earnings from €11,497 to €29,315.
30% tax rate, which applies to annual earnings from €29,315 to €83,823.
41% tax rate, which applies to annual earnings from €83,823 to €180,294.

45% tax rate, which applies to annual earnings above €180,294.

The French pension system consists of two mandatory schemes: the basic state pension and a supplementary pension scheme. Employers are required to make payments towards both and can range in costs from 40-45% of an employee’s gross salary.

In France, a standard full-time working week is 35 hours, typically working Monday to Friday between 9am and 6pm. Any hours worked over this are considered overtime and employers are legally obliged to compensate any employees working overtime, either financially or additional paid time off (RTT).

Employee’s leave consists of several types:

Statutory time off or paid leave, which is a minimum of 25 days per year for full-time employees
Public holidays (there are 11 bank holidays per year in France)
Maternity, Paternity and Parental leave
Sick leave

Termination of an employment contract in France can occur in the following ways:

Economic reasons, such as redundancy
Personal reasons, such as poor performance or misconduct
By mutual consent through a settlement agreement
Other legal or substantial reasons

All dismissals require a minimum notice period to be given, which increases according to length of service.

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Frequently Asked Questions

In France, employees are generally salaried and paid monthly. Each employee must be registered on their employer’s Mutuelle and Prevoyance unless they operate private schemes. They must also have strict employment contracts (often in dual language) that adhere to the correct collective bargaining agreement and seniority.

When an employee is sick, they will generally be entitled to paid leave. They can receive pay for up to 90 days depending on seniority, and must have at least one year’s service with the company. A medical certificate is required for any absence.

Employment rights are very strict in France. We suggest speaking to one of our Employment Law Advisors before taking any action. Dismissal can be a very lengthy process and there are a list of steps that must be adhered to, but we are able to handle all aspects of this to ensure compliance throughout the process.

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