Public holidays 2024: list of days off and rules to follow!

In France, 11 public holidays are recognized by the Labor Code - Article L 3133-1. This is an opportunity for employees to take a few days off.

From the employer's point of view, these 11 public holidays, in addition to the management of paid leave, raise a number of questions: can employees be required to work on a public holiday? If so, what are the conditions and compensation? Can employees refuse to work on a public holiday?

Appvizer provides you with the 2024 public holiday calendar and reminds you of the essential rules applicable to public holidays!

List of public holidays in France in 2024

Working or non-working days? Paid or unpaid? What does the law say?

May 1st

Contrary to popular belief, of the 11 statutory public holidays , only May 1st must be worked and paid. Normal pay is maintained, regardless of seniority.

Some sectors, however, such as tourism, transport, hospitals, etc., are not allowed to interrupt their activity, so they remain an exception. In such cases, employees are entitled to an indemnity equivalent to the amount of the holiday, in addition to the remuneration corresponding to the work performed.

Other public holidays

The other 10 public holidays are only non-working if provided for by the collective agreement or company practice: rest is not legally compulsory.

By law :

• if the public holiday is not worked: the employee must be paid as long as he or she has been with the company for at least 3 months (no reduction in salary is authorized by law);
  
• if the public holiday is worked: pay is increased only if the company's collective bargaining agreement so provides (no increase is allowed by law);
  
• if the public holiday falls on a day not usually worked (a Sunday, for example): no deferral can be demanded, unless provided for in a collective agreement;
  
• if the public holiday falls during a paid vacation and the day is not worked: it cannot be deducted from the paid vacation;
  
• if the holiday falls during paid leave and is worked at the company: it is deducted from paid leave.

Whit Monday, solidarity day

Any legal public holiday can be used as a solidarity day (except May 1), but the default day is Whit Monday. This is a day that must be worked and not paid.

When can an employee take the day off?

The employer is free to decide whether or not to accept an employee's request for a day off . On the other hand, employers can impose a bridge on all their employees.