Employment contract

• It cannot set out less favourable measures than those in the Labour Code and relevant collective agreements.
• Seasonal employment contract is a written fixed term contract (Contrat à Durée Déterminée - CDD). It must mention the tasks to complete, the salary, the dates of start and end of work or minimal term of contract, the term of trial period, the collective agreement eligible, and details of pension funds and health care insurance.
• Trial period: it enables employers to confirm the worker's competences in relation to his position, and also the worker makes sure the position meet his expectations. The period cannot legally exceed one day per working week and two weeks for a six-month contract.
• Legal working time is 35 hours per week or 1,607 hours per annum.
• Daily working time is between 10 and 12 hours depending on the position held.
• Minimum time of rest between two working days cannot be inferior to 11 hours, and 10 hours for seasonal workers and workers in the catering industry (restaurants) living at their working place or next to it. Workers must have at least one day of rest per week (Monday to Sunday). However, it is different for independent workers. For example, ski instructors, who are mainly independent workers, are entitled to a day off, but it is not compulsory. They can therefore work seven days a week.
• Minimum time of break is 20 minutes every 6 hours.
• Minimum wage in France (SMIC) is 8.86 € gross* per hour or 1,343.77 € gross monthly on January 1^st, 2010.
  *Net salary is obtained by deducting about 23 % of payroll costs on gross salary.
• Overtime pay varies according to collective agreements.
• End of contract: It is not possible to break a contract except during the trial period or if both parties agree. However, the employer can dismiss in case of serious professional misconduct.