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Labour law (1/5)
Labour law is the set of legal rules on the professional relations between employees and employers.
Key points of the sheet
- A legal rule organises social life. If a rule is not respected, the State can punish with a sanction.
- The rules are written in three types of document. The Labour Code (Code du travail) sets rights and obligations for everyone.
- Collective agreements concern one activity, for example road transport. They adapt the Labour Code on specific points.
- The internal rules are written by an employer whose company has at least 50 employees. They cover health, safety and discipline.
- The reference for a full-time employee is 35 hours per week, in all companies. Part-time employees work less than 35 hours.
- Beyond 35 hours, we speak of overtime (heures supplémentaires). The employer must pay it or allow the employee to make it up. There is also a maximum working time.
- You can work from the age of 16. A minor must be authorised by a legal representative, unless the minor is emancipated.
Words to know
- labour law (droit du travail)
- It is the set of legal rules that concern the professional relations between employees and employers.
- legal rule (règle juridique)
- It organises social life; if it is not respected, the State can punish.
- Labour Code (Code du travail)
- It sets rights and obligations for everyone, for example the employment contract and salary.
- collective agreements (conventions collectives)
- They concern one activity and adapt the Labour Code on specific points.
- internal rules (règlement intérieur)
- It is written by the employer of a company with at least 50 employees, on health, safety and discipline.
- overtime (heures supplémentaires)
- They are the hours beyond 35 hours; the employer must pay them or allow them to be made up.
- part-time (temps partiel)
- Part-time employees work less than 35 hours per week.
Test yourself: 3 questions
The internal rules concern a company with at least how many employees?
In French, the language of the exam: Le règlement intérieur concerne une entreprise d'au moins combien de salariés ?
The internal rules are written by an employer whose company has at least 50 employees.
What must the employer do about overtime?
In French, the language of the exam: Que doit faire l'employeur pour les heures supplémentaires ?
The employer must pay the overtime to the employee or allow the employee to make it up.
Who must authorise a non-emancipated minor to work?
In French, the language of the exam: Qui doit autoriser un mineur non émancipé à travailler ?
Every minor must be authorised by a legal representative, for example the father or mother, unless emancipated.
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Questions on the ministry's list that rest on this sheet
More in this topic (Employment)
Source
Sheet “Le droit du travail (1/5)” of the French Ministry of the Interior: formation-civique.interieur.gouv.fr. Content published under the Etalab Open Licence 2.0. This page is a plain-language adaptation made by Hexaciv, which is not an official site: if in doubt, the ministry's text is the one that counts.
Ministry sheet read on 23 October 2026, still identical on 25 October 2026.