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Can an employer dismiss a pregnant woman, or one on maternity leave, because of her pregnancy?
Model-written, not yet read by a native reader.
Correct answer: No, it is discrimination, which the law forbids. No, pregnancy is a ground of discrimination forbidden by law. Discrimination is forbidden at the time of dismissal. The employee can report it to the Inspection du travail, a staff representative or a union.
Sources: Sheet “L'égalité (3/3)” (French), read on 21 October 2026. Answer written by Hexaciv from this source. Hexaciv is an independent preparation tool. It is not an official website, is not linked to any government body and does not give legal advice. The authoritative source is the Ministry of the Interior's, cited on this page.
The four choices and why
- ✓ No, it is discrimination, which the law forbidsNon, c'est une discrimination interdite par la loiCorrect answer. No, pregnancy is a ground of discrimination forbidden by law. Discrimination is forbidden at the time of dismissal. The employee can report it to the Inspection du travail, a staff representative or a union.
- ✗ Yes, if the employer warns in advanceOui, si l'employeur prévient à l'avanceGiving warning does not make this dismissal legal.
- ✗ Yes, if the company is smallOui, si l'entreprise est petiteThe size of the company does not change the ban.
- ✗ Yes, if the employee is away for a very long timeOui, si la salariée est absente longtempsAn absence because of pregnancy does not justify a dismissal.
What the source says
« La loi française reconnaît plus de 26 critères de discrimination : origine, sexe, apparence physique, âge, handicap, grossesse, orientation sexuelle, opinions politiques, religion… »
Sentence copied word for word from the source, in French, read on 21 October 2026.
How it reads on exam day
The exam is in French, so this is the question you will see: « Peut-on licencier une femme enceinte, ou en congé maternité, à cause de sa grossesse ? ». Learn the English idea above and the French words in the options.
This question comes from the list of the naturalisation version of the exam (PDF relayed by Le Français des affaires, read on 14 October 2026; the Ministry's own page for this list did not answer). The list's wording: “Est-il possible de licencier une femme enceinte ou en congé maternité, en raison de sa grossesse ?”.
Where the Ministry explains it
Sheet “L'égalité (3/3)” (French).
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