France's rupture conventionnelle law highlights 15‑day withdrawal rule and new benefit cuts

French labor law grants a 15‑calendar‑day withdrawal period after a mutual termination (rupture conventionnelle) is signed. The countdown starts the day after signing and runs every day, including weekends and holidays, meaning that a Friday signature adds two extra days before the deadline can fall on a Monday.

A recent study of 727 entrepreneurs found that one‑quarter started a business after using a rupture conventionnelle, and nearly a third said they would not have become entrepreneurs without it. The same report notes that seniors rely on the scheme: 21 % of founders aged 55+ created firms after a rupture conventionnelle, and 27.5 % would not have done so otherwise. Parliament has now reduced the maximum unemployment‑benefit duration for older workers who use the device, from 27 months to 20.5 months, raising concerns about its impact on startup creation.

Together, these points underline both the procedural nuance of the withdrawal window and the broader economic significance of the scheme for French entrepreneurship.