France marks 90 years of paid leave and implements new sick leave rights

France is observing significant developments regarding paid leave rights, both through historical commemoration and recent legal shifts. To mark the 90th anniversary of the 1936 law on paid leave established under the Front Populaire, organizations including UNAT, PARCOURS, and ANCAV have launched a national campaign. This initiative includes a musical production titled ‘1936, les jours heureux’ by Christina Rosmini, which is touring various French cities to celebrate this social milestone and discuss the future of leisure rights.

Separately, a 2024 law (n° 2024-364) has fundamentally changed how sick leave affects paid leave accrual. Following European jurisprudence, employees on non-professional sick leave now accrue two days of paid leave per month, up to 24 days per year. This law applies retroactively to December 1, 2009, meaning many employees may have unclaimed leave. Despite this, reports suggest that approximately 80% of employers have not yet updated payroll systems to reflect these changes, which treat sick leave as effective working time.