Home › Explained sheets › Living in French society
Labour law (2/5)
The salary is the money the employer pays the employee for their work. It is forbidden to pay less than the SMIC.
Key points of the sheet
- The SMIC is the minimum hourly wage in France. It is about 1,801.80 € gross.
- The employer must give a payslip (bulletin de paie) when paying the salary. Some information is required, other information is forbidden, for example strike days.
- The payslip can be electronic. The employee can refuse this form.
- All employees have the right to paid leave every year. It is 2.5 working days for each month of work with the same employer.
- Every employee has the right to join a trade union. A union defends workers' rights, for example pay and safety.
- No one can force an employee to join a union. No one can punish them for being a member.
- In a dispute about the employment contract, the employee can contact the Conseil de Prud’hommes. This court can order compensation or reinstatement.
Words to know
- minimum wage (SMIC) (salaire minimum de croissance)
- It is the minimum hourly wage in France, about 1,801.80 € gross.
- payslip (bulletin de paie)
- It is the document the employer gives the employee with the salary.
- paid leave (congé payé)
- It is leave paid by the employer every year; it is both a right and an obligation.
- working day (jour ouvrable)
- It is a day when the employee could work, except Sunday and public holidays.
- trade union (syndicat)
- It is an organisation that defends workers' rights.
- employment tribunal (Conseil de Prud’hommes)
- It is a court that decides disputes about the employment contract.
Test yourself: 3 questions
For one month of work, how many days of paid leave does an employee earn?
In French, the language of the exam: Pour un mois de travail, combien de jours de congé payé gagne un salarié ?
An employee has the right to 2.5 working days of paid leave for one month of work with the same employer.
What information is forbidden on the payslip?
In French, the language of the exam: Quelle information est interdite sur le bulletin de paie ?
The employee's strike hours or days are forbidden on the payslip.
What can the Conseil de Prud’hommes order the employer to do?
In French, the language of the exam: Que peut imposer le conseil de prud’hommes à l’employeur ?
The Conseil de Prud’hommes can order the employer to pay compensation to the employee.
You have read the sheet. See where you stand with 40 questions like the real exam.
Take the free mock exam (40 questions)Free mock exam · Exam Pass €19 incl. VAT, paid once, no subscription
Questions on the ministry's list that rest on this sheet
- Who has the right to join a trade union?
- What is the SMIC?
- What must an employer do when setting a salary?
More in this topic (Employment)
- Labour law (3/5): discrimination at work
- Labour law (4/5): the labour inspectorate
- Labour law (5/5): undeclared work
Source
Sheet “Le droit du travail (2/5)” 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.