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Labour law (3/5): discrimination at work
Discrimination at work is when the employer treats a person worse than the others. The reason is a criterion forbidden by law, for example origin, sex or age.
Key points of the sheet
- All people who work in a company are protected: employee, intern, apprentice. The person can report the discrimination to obtain, in some cases, compensation (réparation).
- Discrimination can happen at different moments. For example at hiring, at dismissal or at contract renewal.
- It can also happen when the salary is set, when the employee's tasks are defined or for working hours.
- A victim, or a person who knows about a case of discrimination, can report it. For example to the Labour Inspectorate (Inspection du Travail), to a staff representative or to a trade union.
- Reporting discrimination leads to no penalty, except in case of lying.
Words to know
- discrimination at work (discrimination au travail)
- It is when the employer treats a person worse than the others because of a criterion forbidden by law.
- criteria forbidden by law (critères interdits par la loi)
- They are forbidden reasons for treating a person worse, for example origin, sex, age.
- Labour Inspectorate (Inspection du Travail)
- You can report discrimination at work to the Inspection du Travail.
- trade union (syndicat professionnel)
- You can report discrimination at work to a trade union.
- compensation (réparation)
- The person can report the discrimination to obtain, in some cases, compensation.
Test yourself: 3 questions
Who is protected against discrimination in a company?
In French, the language of the exam: Qui est protégé contre la discrimination dans une entreprise ?
All people who work in a company are protected: employee, intern, apprentice.
To whom can you report discrimination at work?
In French, the language of the exam: À qui peut-on signaler une discrimination au travail ?
You can report discrimination, for example, to the Inspection du Travail.
Who can report discrimination at work?
In French, the language of the exam: Qui peut signaler une discrimination au travail ?
A victim of discrimination or a person who knows about a case of discrimination can report it.
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Source
Sheet “Le droit du travail (3/5)” 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.