Employee leave for sick children in the private sector
Verified 27 March 2026 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
Additional cases ?
The employee is entitled to leave to care for his sick child under 16 years of age. This leave is available to all employees, regardless of their seniority in the company. We present you the information you need to know about sick child leave (length of leave, remuneration).
Yes, the employee can take leave as an employee if his child is sick or injured.
The child of the employee must have under 16. The employee must assume the responsibility load.
The employee benefits from the leave regardless of his nationality if he is regular situation of stay.
Warning
Leave for sick children, parental attendance leave and the leave for the announcement of a child's disability or pathology are 3 separate holidays. Parental leave is granted in the event of a child's illness, disability or accident of particular gravity. Leave for the announcement of a child's disability or pathology is granted to the occurrence of a disability, a chronic pathology requiring therapeutic learning or childhood cancer.
The Labor Code does not provide for a length of service requirement for sick child leave.
FYI
The employee can benefit from sick child leave during his trial period.
The employee must transmit to his employer as soon as possible the medical certificate (or a copy) stating the illness or accident of his child.
The length of leave depends on the number of children incurring who lives in the employee's household:
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The child of the employee is less than 1 year old
The maximum period of leave for sick children is fixed at 5 days a year.
The collective agreement may grant a longer period of leave for sick children.
The applicable collective agreement is the one that covers the company's main activity.
A simulator is used to determine the number of days of leave for family events provided for in the collective agreement:
Know the number of family event leave provided for by the collective agreement
The employee has at least 3 dependent children
If the employee has at least 3 dependent children from under 16, the maximum period of leave shall be 5 days a year.
The collective agreement may grant a longer period of leave for sick children.
The applicable collective agreement is the one that covers the company's main activity.
A simulator is used to determine the number of days of leave for family events provided for in the collective agreement:
Know the number of family event leave provided for by the collective agreement
Other case
The maximum period of leave for sick children is fixed at 3 days a year.
The collective agreement may grant a longer period of leave for sick children.
The applicable collective agreement is the one that covers the company's main activity.
A simulator is used to determine the number of days of leave for family events provided for in the collective agreement:
Know the number of family event leave provided for by the collective agreement
NoHowever, it is a right that the employer cannot refuse to the employee or postpone, within the limit of the number of days acquired.
Leave is not paid in principle. Special provisions apply in Alsace-Moselle (departments of Moselle, Bas-Rhin and Haut-Rhin).
General case
NoHowever, the employee is not paid during sick child leave.
However, treaty provisions more favorable may provide for remuneration during the leave.
The applicable collective agreement is the one that covers the company's main activity.
A simulator is used to determine the number of days of leave for family events provided for in the collective agreement:
Know the number of family event leave provided for by the collective agreement
Alsace-Moselle
The Labor Code provides for special provisions in the departments of Moselle, Bas-Rhin and Haut-Rhin.
An employee whose employment contract is suspended because of his child's illness is entitled to the maintenance of his salary.
There is no impact on entitlement to paid leave. The employee retains all days of earned paid leave.
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Special provisions for the departments of Moselle, Bas-Rhin and Haut-Rhin