Figure :
€750 – This is the mandatory lump-sum contribution that employers must pay towards funding apprenticeship contracts aimed at high levels of qualification.
This measure is part of the changes outlined in two draft decrees submitted to social partners for consultation on May 21, with implementation scheduled for July 1.
In addition, the payment procedures for the funding levels (NPEC) of these contracts would be revised as follows:
- A 20% reduction in the amount is proposed for training programs that are conducted at least 80% remotely.
- The calculation of NPEC proration would shift from a monthly to a daily basis, to better reflect the actual training costs.
- A 10% holdback on the final payment would be applied, helping to limit overpayments to training centers (CFAs).
Draft decree to the Council of State on NPEC payments and employer contributions for high-level qualifications, submitted to CNNCEFP on May 14, 2025; Simple draft decree on adjusting NPEC for remote training, also submitted on May 14, 2025.
Please note:
Update to the list of shortage occupations for foreign workers.
The new list of shortage occupations, which replaces the one from April 2021, has finally been published. Numerous occupations have been added to better reflect the actual needs of French businesses.
This list serves two main purposes:
- It allows employers to hire a worker in one of the listed occupations without first posting the job for 3 weeks, bypassing the usual requirement (principle of job market test).
- It also opens the door for undocumented foreign nationals working in occupations and geographic areas listed as "shortage occupations" to apply, under certain conditions and until December 31, 2026, for a one-year residence permit from the prefect, provided they can prove at least 12 months of employment in the listed job within the past 24 months.
Ministerial Order of May 21, 2025, setting the list of occupations and geographic areas with recruitment difficulties under Article L. 414-13 of the Code on the Entry and Residence of Foreigners and the Right of Asylum (published in the Official Journal on May 22, 2025).
The Court has ruled:
Dismissal after reporting harassment: nullity is not automatic
When an employee is dismissed after reporting moral harassment, the termination is not automatically nullified if it is based on gross misconduct unrelated to the report and the harassment report is not mentioned in the dismissal letter. It is then up to the employee to prove it was actually a retaliatory measure.
(Court of Cassation, Social Chamber, May 6, 2025, No. 23-21908)
No requirement to date the misconduct in a dismissal letter
A dismissal for gross misconduct can still be valid even if the alleged facts are not dated, as long as the reasons are sufficiently precise and verifiable.
(Court of Cassation, Social Chamber, May 6, 2025, No. 23-19214)
On-call duty may be considered actual working time in some cases
In principle, on-call time is not counted as actual working time. However, the Court of Cassation reiterates that if the constraints of on-call duty significantly and objectively limit the employee's freedom to use their time, then that period must be recognized as actual working time.
(Court of Cassation, Social Chamber, May 14, 2025, No. 24-14319)
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
