#2026-419France Sets Rules for Additional Birth Leave
AI-generated summary for informational purposes only. Not legal advice. See the original source for the authoritative text.
This decree sets the timing and notice rules for France’s new additional birth leave. Employees must start the leave within nine months after the child’s birth, or within nine months after an adopted child arrives in the household. Employees must tell their employer at least one month before the leave starts whether they want to split the leave, and must give the dates and duration. If the additional leave follows paternity, childcare reception leave, or adoption leave right away and starts within the month after birth or arrival, the notice period is shortened to 15 days.
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Key Changes
- Additional birth leave must generally begin within nine months after birth or adoption arrival.
- Employees must give at least one month’s notice, including dates, duration, and whether the leave will be split.
- A shorter 15-day notice period applies when the leave immediately follows paternity, child reception, or adoption leave and starts within the first month.
Obligations
What this law requires
Employees taking additional birth leave must begin the leave period or periods within nine months of the child’s birth, or for adoptive parents within nine months of the child’s arrival in the household; this period is extended by any legally or collectively agreed extension of maternity, paternity/childcare reception, or adoption leave.
Employees must inform their employer whether they wish to split the additional birth leave and must state the dates and duration of the leave period or periods.
If an employee changes employer before using all additional birth leave rights, the employee must inform the new employer of the date on which the remaining leave period will be taken.
Where the additional birth leave immediately follows paternity and childcare reception leave or adoption leave, and the employee wishes to start it during the month following the child’s birth or arrival in the household, the employee must give notice to the employer under the shortened notice period.
Employees must send the required additional birth leave information to the employer by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt or deliver it by hand against receipt.