France Implements New Supplemental Birth Leave Starting July 2026

From 1 July 2026 France will introduce a Supplemental Birth Leave (CSN) that gives parents up to two months of paid time off – 70 % of salary for the first month and 60 % for the second. The measure, announced by President Emmanuel Macron as part of a “demographic re‑armament”, is expected to cost the state about €600 million a year.

The reform arrives amid a sharp decline in French births – 645 000 in 2025, the lowest since 1942, with a fertility rate of 1.56 children per woman and a first‑time natural population decrease since 1945. To fund the leave, the government will raise the eligibility age for family allowances from 14 to 18 years.

Employers must adapt HR systems and the Déclaration Sociale Nominative (DSN) to record the new absence code, plan for continuity of work, and may use the leave as a recruitment and employer‑branding tool. Companies that fail to anticipate the impact could face productivity loss, scheduling challenges, and higher compliance costs.