Unemployment benefits: how is the reference daily wage calculated?
Verified 01 January 2026 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
The daily reference wage (DJS) is used to calculate your unemployment benefits. It is determined based on your remuneration received over a period and the number of days included during that same period. We present you the information to know.
The SJR is obtained by dividing the total remuneration received (reference salary) by the number of days between 1er and the last working day in the reference period, according to your age : 24 months if you have under 55 and 36 months if you have 55 years of age or older.
Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement
You are under 55
The reference daily wage (RDI) is determined in 2 steps.
The total gross remuneration received during the 2 years before the end of your last employment contract is taken into account.
This sum is divided by the number of calendar days (days worked + days not worked) between 1er the day of the first contract and the last day of the last contract of that period.
Please note
Certain events occurring during the performance of the employment contract give rise to a lack of remuneration or to partial or unusual remuneration. These are mainly periods of sickness, maternity, paternity, or partial activity. In these cases, France Travail provides for the replenishment of the usual salary over these periods in order to integrate it into the reference salary.
If you are dismissed for incapacity and your dismissal procedure has been initiated from 1er April 2025, the month corresponding to the period for reclassification preceding that dismissal shall be the subject of a replenishment of salary.
The number of days not worked taken into account in the calculation of the duration of compensation may not exceed:
- à 75% the number of days worked if the contract was terminated by March 31, 2025,
- à 70% of the number of days worked if the end of the contract occurred from 1er April 2025. %
For each month, the remuneration taken into account may not exceed €16,020.
Type of remuneration | Consideration |
|---|---|
Compensation of 13è month | Only for the part on 12è month |
Balance sheet premiums | Only for the part on 12è month |
Gratifications received | Only for the part on 12è month |
Reimbursements for professional expenses | No |
Termination or severance pay | No |
Conventional Termination Allowances | No |
Compensatory leave with pay | No |
End-of-mission allowance (precariousness allowance) | No |
Notice or non-compete allowances | No |
Social Security daily allowances | No |
You are 55 years of age or older
The reference daily wage (RDI) is determined in 2 steps.
The total gross remuneration received during the 3 years before the end of your last employment contract is taken into account.
This sum is divided by the number of calendar days (days worked + days not worked) between 1er the day of the first contract and the last day of the last contract of that period.
Please note
Certain events occurring during the performance of the employment contract give rise to a lack of remuneration or to partial or unusual remuneration. These are mainly periods of sickness, maternity, paternity, or partial activity. In these cases, France Travail provides for the replenishment of the usual salary over these periods in order to integrate it into the reference salary.
If you are dismissed for incapacity and your dismissal procedure has been initiated from 1er April 2025, the month corresponding to the period for reclassification preceding that dismissal shall be the subject of a replenishment of salary.
The number of days not worked taken into account in the calculation of the duration of compensation may not exceed:
- à 75% the number of days worked if the contract was terminated by March 31, 2025,
- à 70% of the number of days worked if the end of the contract occurred from 1er April 2025. %
For each month, the remuneration taken into account may not exceed €16,020.
Type of remuneration | Consideration |
|---|---|
Compensation of 13è month | Only for the part on 12è month |
Balance sheet premiums | Only for the part on 12è month |
Gratifications received | Only for the part on 12è month |
Reimbursements for professional expenses | No |
Termination or severance pay | No |
Conventional Termination Allowances | No |
Compensatory leave with pay | No |
End-of-mission allowance (precariousness allowance) | No |
Notice or non-compete allowances | No |
Social Security daily allowances | No |
Article 13 of the annexed general regulation