Key payroll dates for your French employees

Paid leave expires on 31 May 2025

In France, employees accrue paid leave from 1 June to 31 May of the following year. This means leave earned between 1 June 2023 and 31 May 2024 must be taken before 1 June 2025. Any unused days after that date will be lost.

What should you do?

• Inform your employees in good time about the upcoming expiration of their leave so they still have a chance to use their remaining days.

• Considering an exceptional carry-over of unused leave to the next vacation year? Please let us know. But be aware: this may create a precedent within the company, leading employees to expect similar flexibility in future years.

9 June 2025 – Journée de solidarité?

Since 2004, France has implemented a Journée de solidarité—a solidarity day where employees work one extra unpaid day per year. Employers contribute the related savings to a national solidarity fund that supports care for elderly and disabled individuals.

The two most common modalities to perform this solidarity day are:

• Working on a public holiday (excluding 1 May),

• Working on a usual rest day (such as a Saturday).

The hours worked on this day are not considered overtime and do not generate additional pay. The purpose is to enable the employer to offset the required financial contribution.

While Whit Monday (Pentecost Monday) used to be the default date for this day, this is no longer mandatory. Nevertheless, many companies still use it by tradition.

As an employer, you may also choose (even exceptionally this year) to exempt your employees from working on this day. However, the additional social contribution remains due.

What should you do?

• Decide if your employees will work the solidarity day and when. Make sure to inform them clearly.

• Notify your French payroll provider of the chosen date to ensure proper payroll processing.