France to reduce unemployment benefit duration in 2026

Under Law No. 2026-470, France will implement a reduction in the duration of unemployment benefits for employees leaving via a ‘rupture conventionnelle’ (mutual agreement termination) starting September 1, 2026.

The new regulations establish maximum indemnification periods of 15 months for individuals under the age of 55 and 20.5 months for seniors in metropolitan France. This legislative reform is projected to generate annual savings for Unédic estimated between 600 and 800 million euros.

The law applies specifically to contracts terminated on or after September 1, 2026. Agreements finalized before this date will remain under the previous indemnification regime, making the effective end date of the contract the determining factor for eligibility.