What happens if a family event (birth, marriage, death of a loved one) ...) occurs during an employee's paid leave?

Verified 06 February 2026 - Public Service / (Prime Minister)

In principle, paid leave cannot be extended in the event of a family event (birth, marriage, Civil partnership, family death...) occurring during the leave. If the family event takes place while the employee is on leave, the employee is not entitled to days of leave.

However, treaty provisions or a collective agreement or a company agreement may provide for more favorable conditions.

The applicable collective agreement is the one to which the main activity of the company falls.

A simulator allows you to search for the collective agreement with the name of the company or its number Siret :

Finding your collective agreement

The employee is not entitled to a compensatory allowance for days of absence for family events not taken.

Please note

If the employee is on leave during the birth of his child, his birth leave and the first mandatory part of its paternity and childcare leave begin at the end of his paid leave.

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