# French labor rights and employment regulation developments > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/french-labor-rights-and-employment-regulation-developments > Updated: 2026-09-07T14:18:21.000Z. Sources: 30. Developments: 6. France continues to implement significant reforms to its labor and social security regulations. Following the September 1, 2026, requirement for medical professionals to explicitly state the medical reason for work stoppages, the government has introduced further measures to curb absenteeism and reduce the financial burden on the national health insurance system, which some estimate at 18 billion euros annually. Two decrees, recently validated by the Conseil d’État, target specific areas of sick leave management. One decree addresses “medical nomadism,” where individuals consult multiple doctors to obtain various sick leave certificates. Those identified as practicing this may face sanctions, including the obligation to reimburse daily allowances or pay financial penalties. A second decree reduces the maximum duration of compensation for certain long-term sick leaves from three years to one year. This specifically impacts patients with non-exempt long-term conditions, such as musculoskeletal disorders or mild depression, who have been on leave for more than six months. The Ministry of Health maintains these changes aim to encourage better medical follow-up and a faster return to employment through increased cooperation between primary care and occupational doctors. However, advocacy groups like FNATH have criticized the measures, arguing the government is viewing sick leave primarily through the lens of cost reduction. ## Claims - The government stated that the rising costs of sick leave are unsustainable. (corroborated by 2 sources) - The average duration of sick leave for 35-39 year olds increased from 27 to 31 days between 2012 and 2023. (corroborated by 2 sources) - Starting September 1, initial sick leave prescriptions are capped at a maximum of 31 days. (corroborated by 2 sources) - Sick leave extensions are capped at a maximum of 62 days. (corroborated by 2 sources) - The CPAM may refuse to pay daily allowances if the new prescription rules are not respected. (corroborated by 2 sources) - The sick leave cap is expected to generate 10 million euros in annual savings. (corroborated by 2 sources) - The French government is preparing new reductions to sickness benefits paid by Health Insurance. (corroborated by 2 sources) - A new decree will reduce the maximum compensation duration for certain long-term conditions from three years to one year. (corroborated by 2 sources) - The Conseil d'État validated two decrees on September 9, 2026, aimed at strengthening sick leave controls. (single source) - New rules will target 'medical nomadism' by sanctioning individuals who consult multiple doctors to obtain various sick leaves. (single source) - In 2024, 13,000 insured individuals received five sick leaves from five different general practitioners. (single source) - Non-exempt long-term sick leaves cost the Health Insurance 3.2 billion euros for 400,000 people in 2023. (single source) ## Timeline ### 2026-09-07: France to tighten sick leave rules and reduce compensation The French government is introducing decrees to curb sick leave costs by targeting “medical nomadism” and reducing compensation duration for certain long-term absences from three years to one. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/france-to-tighten-sick-leave-rules-and-reduce-benefit-durations ### 2026-09-04: France to implement new birth leave and sick leave rules in 2026 France will implement a new supplementary birth leave in 2026, offering up to two months of compensated rest for parents, alongside new limits on sick leave duration starting in September 2026. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/france-to-implement-new-birth-leave-and-sick-leave-rules-in-2026 ### 2026-08-25: France implements new limits on sick leave duration Starting September 1, France will implement new caps on sick leave duration. Initial prescriptions are limited to 31 days, with extensions capped at 62 days, to curb rising social security costs. 11 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/france-implements-new-limits-on-sick-leave-duration ### 2026-08-23: France to implement new sick leave prescription limits France will introduce new caps on sick leave prescriptions starting September 1, 2026, limiting initial leaves to 31 days and extensions to 62 days, unless medical justification is provided. 6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/france-to-implement-new-sick-leave-prescription-limits ### 2026-08-09: France marks 90 years of paid leave and implements new sick leave rights France celebrates the 90th anniversary of paid leave through national campaigns while navigating new laws that grant employees paid leave during sick leave, a right many employers have yet to implement. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/france-marks-90-years-of-paid-leave-and-implements-new-sick-leave-rights ### 2026-08-09: France updates regulations for 2025 Solidarity Day France is updating regulations for the 2025 Solidarity Day, requiring full-time employees to contribute 7 additional unpaid hours to fund support for the elderly and disabled. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/france-updates-regulations-for-2025-solidarity-day --- Cite as: French labor rights and employment regulation developments. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/french-labor-rights-and-employment-regulation-developments