France sets 31-day cap on first sick leave prescription, 62 days for extension

The new limits

The decree, published this Saturday 13 June in the Journal officiel, caps a first sick leave prescription at 31 days and limits any prolongation to 62 days. The ceilings apply from 1 September 2026 to all health professionals authorised to prescribe sick leave, including physicians, midwives and dental surgeons, except when the patient's medical condition requires a longer absence.

A legislative compromise

The measure originates in the 2026 Social Security financing law. The government's initial bill sought to set the maximum by decree at 15 days for a first prescription by a general practitioner and 30 days in hospital. Deputies amended the text to fix the limit at one month in both settings and to write the duration directly into the law rather than leaving it to the executive.

A rising cost burden

No statutory maximum previously existed for sick leave, although indicative durations are recommended for certain conditions. Insured workers remain subject to a ceiling of 360 days of daily allowances over three years. Private-sector absenteeism has stayed elevated since the Covid crisis, with a particularly sharp increase among managers, whose absences are longer and often linked to mental health, according to a study published this week by mutual insurer Malakoff Humanis.

It costs the Social Security system 18 billion euros and it increases by a billion euros a year, so the stakes are considerable.

Accompanying measures

A separate decree, also published on Saturday, sets a four-year maximum on the payment of daily allowances for workplace accidents or occupational illnesses, starting from 2027.