Labor law in France

French labor law is mainly called droit du travail. It protects employees while also defining what employers may require and how workplaces must operate. The central document is the employment contract, or contrat de travail. The common open-ended form is the CDI, while the CDD is a fixed-term form permitted for defined temporary situations. Written terms normally identify the job, pay, workplace, working arrangements, and any trial period. Policies and applicable collective rules can add further obligations. A convention collective is a collective agreement for a sector or occupation. It may improve or clarify rules on matters such as job classifications, notice, leave, or additional benefits. Employers must provide lawful pay, a safe workplace, equal treatment, and required employment records. Employees must perform their work, follow reasonable instructions, and respect duties such as loyalty and confidentiality. Employee representation has an important place in larger workplaces. The comité social et économique, commonly called the CSE, represents staff on economic, social, health, and safety matters where the legal conditions apply. Ending employment follows different paths, including resignation, dismissal, agreed termination, or the natural end of a valid fixed-term contract. The reason, documents, procedure, and final payments can strongly affect whether the ending is lawful. Individual employment disputes are commonly heard by the conseil de prud’hommes. Labor inspection, unions, staff representatives, and legal professionals may also help before a case reaches court.