How does Holiday Entitlement work for French CDI Contracts?

General Discussion
1

Hiya everyone. Having lived in France for just over a year my husband has been told that he has used up all his holiday entitlement, but we have no idea how it works. I have just read something saying the holiday year runs from 1st May to 3oth April for the preceeding year and wonder if anyone can expand?


He started work on 28th December 2011 on a CDI Contract. His contract says he 30 days a year holiday entitlement. He did not take any holidays between Decembember 2011 until July 2012 of this year. For the months of July to September he has taken 14 days but he has been told he does not have any holiday entitlement now until May of next year?


Would he have earnt 2.5 days for January to April/May of this year and should they have been used up by May as he was not paid for them?


Does his holiday entitlment start from May/June of this year and why would he still not have any holidays left if he has taken 14 days already? Should this be the full entitlement or is it pro rata on last year?



Just need some really basic clarity if anyone can help? Thanks in anticipation!


2

Thanks Kenneth - feeling much more optimistic! x

3

Hello Nicole,

Julie's reply is spot on. I arrived in France in January 2009 as a transfer from a UK company where I had 25 days paid holiday. At no stage had anybody warned me about the way holiday entitlement was earned so it came as a bit of a shock to find that I only had a few days earnt between 1/1 and 1/5.

However it there is a rule in France, it can be broken. We officially do a 35 hour week but work slightly longer than that and accumulate extra days off known as RTT days (réduction du temps de travail) plus of course there are 11 public holidays every year. With goodwill from your employer these can be added together to give you extra holidays not to mention the day off you are entitled to for moving house.

Do look forward to next year - you will probably have more holiday than you ever have had in the past!

4

Thank you June - really appreciated and thanks for coming back in such detail. All is clear now .. which is a bit of first!! x