Common practice is a written and signed resignation letter, either hand-delivered against receipt or sent via registered mail with acknowledgment. The employee must clearly and unambiguously express their intent to resign.

• Required in most cases for employees under permanent contracts (CDI)

• Duration depends on the applicable collective agreement, individual employment contract, or customary practice

• Common durations:

  • Less than six months of service: one week

  • Six months to less than two years: one month

  • Two years or more: two to three months (varies by sector)

• No notice required for resignation during or at the end of a trial period unless otherwise specified

No severance pay is due in case of resignation, as it's a voluntary termination.

• Paid leave compensation

• Other contractual or collective benefits

A justified dismissal may stem from either personal or economic grounds.

Personal reasons that can warrant termination include insubordination, acts of violence or verbal aggression, theft, frequent unapproved absences, misconduct at work, harassment (whether moral or sexual), lack of professional competence, or failure to meet performance targets.

Economic justifications may involve eliminating or altering roles due to financial strain, organizational restructuring to maintain competitiveness, or the closure of the business.

Not payable in case of faute grave or lourde.

Indemnité compensatrice de congés payés (compensation for unused vacation leave) is still due, unless the employee isn't eligible. Employees dismissed for cause continue to receive compensation for accrued but unused paid leave.

You can only end an employment contract on your own if there's a legitimate and significant reason.

Termination must be preceded by a préavis (notice period), except in cases of faute grave or faute lourde (serious misconduct), where no notice is required.

Per Article L. 1234-1 of the Labor Code:

• Less than six months of service: duration set by law, collective agreement, contract, or professional custom

• Six months to less than two years: one month

• ≥ two years: two months, unless more favorable terms apply via contract or convention collective

Employees who have completed at least eight months of service and are dismissed for reasons other than gross misconduct are entitled to severance pay. This compensation amounts to one-quarter of a month's salary for each year of service up to 10 years, and one-third of a month's salary for each additional year beyond that.

• Any unused paid leave must be paid at termination

• Other contractual benefits

MTAs are voluntary agreements signed by both parties to terminate an employment contract by mutual consent.

Initiated by mutual agreement, either party may propose it. There's no formal requirement for how to request it; an oral or written request is acceptable.

The employee is entitled to a specific indemnity (indemnité spécifique) that can't be less than the legal dismissal indemnity:

• One-quarter month's salary per year of seniority for up to 10 years

• One-third month's salary per year for each year beyond the tenth

Collective bargaining agreements or contracts may provide more favorable terms.

Compensation for unused paid leave must be paid as part of the final settlement. Contractual or optional negotiated benefits can be negotiated as part of the agreement, beyond the bare legal minimum.

A CDD automatically expires at its agreed-upon end date. No notice period is required from either you or the employee, unless specified by contract, collective agreement, or custom.

On expiry, the employee is typically entitled to a precariousness indemnity ("indemnité de fin de contrat"), equal to 10% of total gross remuneration received during the contract.

As with other contract terminations, you must compensate for unused paid leave.

Under Article L1243-1 of the French Labour Code, you can lawfully terminate a CDD early only for one of the following reasons:

• Serious misconduct by the employee
• Force majeure
• Unfitness to work, confirmed by an occupational physician

Depends on the reason for termination.

All final payments (salary, severance, unused leave, etc.) must be made at the end of the notice period (or departure date if waived).

If payments are delayed or the terms aren't honored, the employee may challenge via the Conseil de prud'hommes (labour court) for claims relating to unpaid amounts or procedural failures.