Working in France - Employment of Women

• Some dangerous and polluting work is forbidden for women.
• Access to some premises (area designated for mercury, for instance) is forbidden for women.
• Women may not carry, pull or push weights of over 25 kg.
• Women must have a seat in shops and boutiques (one for each employee).

PROTECTION OF PREGNANT WOMEN AT WORK

Job exposed to certain risks

If you are pregnant and have a job that involves certain risks (chemicals, banned products) that are incompatible with your condition, the employer is obliged to offer a temporary move to another job. Otherwise the employment contract is suspended and you will receive guaranteed pay.

The guaranteed pay consists of:

• daily allowances paid by your primary health insurance body (CPAM);
• an additional allowance paid by the employer.
  This protection applies up until one month after your return from your postnatal leave.

Your employer may not:

• ask you to work more than ten hours per day;
• ask you to carry out difficult tasks;
• ask you to work during the two weeks preceding the delivery and the six weeks following it.

Reorganisation

Collective agreements may provide for the reorganisation of working hours (e.g. a reduction in the working day).

You may, on presentation of a medical certificate, ask for a temporary change of job because of your pregnancy.

Changes

If you have been working in the undertaking for over a year, this change should not result in any reduction in pay.

PROTECTION OF PREGNANT WOMEN IN THE CASE OF NIGHT WORK

All work carried out between 21:00 and 06:00 hours is regarded as night work. Some reorganisation is possible because of collective agreements or company agreements.

Temporary change of job

If you are pregnant and working at night, the employer is obliged to offer you a temporary change of job.

At your request, or on the written instructions of the industrial doctor, you can be assigned to a day job for the duration of the pregnancy and the duration of legal postnatal leave.

In the event that it is impossible to change jobs, the employment contract is suspended and you receive guaranteed pay.

The pay consists of:

• daily allowances paid by your primary health insurance body (CPAM);
• an additional allowance paid by the employer.

The allowance paid by the CPAM cannot be cumulated with:

• allowances for sick leave, maternity leave or occupational accidents;
• the additional special child allowance for stopping work;
• the parental allowance;
• the parental child allowance.

For further information, contact:

• the staff representatives or a trade union organisation;
• the Departmental Directorate for Labour, Employment and Vocational Training (DDTEFP);
• the primary health insurance fund (CPAM);
• the National Centre of Information and Documentation for Women and Families (CNIDFF).

Last edited on:01/09/2003
Source: European Union
© European Communities, 1995-2005
Reproduction is authorised.