Chapter 1. Overview & Legal Foundation
1-1. Three contract types covered (Code du travail Livre II)
The Code du travail organises the law of employment around three permanent forms:
| Type | French | Code du travail basis | Default form | Written contract required? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CDI | Contrat à Durée Indéterminée | art. L.1221-2 | Default form of employment relationship | Recommended; mandatory in writing if part-time (L.3123-6) or if convention collective requires |
| CDD | Contrat à Durée Déterminée | art. L.1242-1 to L.1242-13 | Exception — only for limited cases (replacement, surplus activity, seasonal, etc.) | Mandatory in writing within 2 working days of hiring (L.1242-13) |
| CTT | Contrat de Travail Temporaire (intérim) | art. L.1251-1 et seq. | Worker is hired by an entreprise de travail temporaire and missioned to a user | Mandatory in writing — both contrat de mission (worker) and contrat de mise à disposition (user) |
Other types out of v1 scope: apprentissage (Code du travail L.6221-1), professionnalisation (L.6325-1), portage salarial (L.1254-1), CDII (intermittent), CDIE (export), VRP (specific status).
1-2. Authorities and oversight
| Body | Role | Statutory basis |
|---|---|---|
| URSSAF | Receives DPAE; collects employer + employee social-security contributions | Code de la sécurité sociale art. L.243-1-2 |
| DGT (Direction Générale du Travail) | Issues circulars and answers ministerial referrals | Code du travail R.8121-1 |
| DREETS (formerly DIRECCTE) | Department-level labour, employment, economy enforcement; homologation of rupture conventionnelle | Code du travail R.8122-1 |
| Inspection du travail | Field inspectors — checks on contracts, working conditions; rights under L.8112-1 | Code du travail L.8112-1 |
| Conseil de prud'hommes | First-instance employment tribunal | Code du travail L.1411-1 |
| France Travail (formerly Pôle Emploi) | Unemployment benefits; receives attestation employeur | Code du travail L.5421-1 |
| Médecine du travail / SPSTI | Mandatory medical visits | Code du travail L.4622-1 |
1-3. Hierarchy of norms (key for any contract)
The contract is the last layer in this hierarchy. Any clause less favourable than higher-level norms is void.
- Constitution & treaties (e.g., ILO conventions, EU directives transposed)
- Code du travail (statutory)
- Décrets / arrêtés (regulatory)
- Convention collective de branche (sectoral agreement — IDCC code)
- Accord d'entreprise / établissement (company agreement)
- Usage / engagement unilateral (custom)
- Règlement intérieur (mandatory if ≥50 employees — L.1311-2)
- Contrat de travail individuel
Practical impact: Before drafting, identify the IDCC of the company (each industry has one). The Scribe questionnaire prompts the user for the IDCC; specific mandatory mentions vary per convention collective.
1-4. France-specific vs EU-common rules
| Topic | EU rule | France-specific |
|---|---|---|
| Working time max | Directive 2003/88/EC (48h/week) | 35h legal week (Code du travail L.3121-27); overtime rules L.3121-28 et seq. |
| Information of worker | Directive (EU) 2019/1152 | Transposed by Décret n°2023-1004 — list of items employer must provide within 7 days/1 month |
| Annual leave | Directive 2003/88/EC (4 weeks) | 5 weeks (2.5 jours ouvrables / month worked — L.3141-3) |
| Equal treatment | Directive 2000/78/EC | Code du travail L.1132-1 — closed list of 26 prohibited discrimination grounds |
| Minimum wage | EU Directive (EU) 2022/2041 — 2024 | SMIC France (L.3231-1 et seq.) re-evaluated each 1 January (and ad-hoc) |
| Protected workers | EU Directive 2002/14/EC | Specific protective workers — délégués du personnel, CSE elected, syndical (L.2411-1) |
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Quick Decision Matrix
Find your employment compliance priority in 5 seconds.
| Your Situation | Priority Action | Go To |
|---|---|---|
| Hiring your first employee | Employment contract + statutory rights | Chapter 2–3 |
| Contract type decision (permanent vs fixed-term) | Compare obligations for each type | Chapter 3 |
| Employee dispute or grievance | Disciplinary and grievance procedures | Chapter 5 |
| Redundancy or restructuring | Legal process and notice periods | Chapter 5 |
| Working hours or leave questions | Statutory minimums by jurisdiction | Chapter 4 |
| Termination or dismissal | Unfair dismissal protections | Chapter 5 |
5-second answer: Before hiring, you need a written employment contract that meets statutory minimums. Start with Chapter 2 for the legal framework.