Leave of association commitment of the volunteer leader of an association

Verified 23 January 2026 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

You are responsible or volunteer leader of an association and you wish to be absent from your job for exercise your function ? The leave for associative engagement (formerly citizenship leave) allows to benefit from a unpaid leave. The situation varies depending on who you are private sector employee or public official. We present you the information to know.

Employee

You may be granted leave to volunteer in one of the following roles:

  • Statutory director (member of the board of directors, the board...) of a public interest association (law 1901 orAlsace-Moselle)
  • Manager supervising other volunteers of an association of general interest (law 1901 or Alsace-Moselle).

In these 2 cases, the association must be declared for at least 1 year and complete one the following conditions:

  • Be philanthropic, educational, scientific, social, humanitarian, sporting, family, cultural
  • Contribute to the enhancement of artistic heritage, the defense of the natural environment or the dissemination of French culture, language and scientific knowledge.

You can also benefit from the leave if you perform one of the following functions on a voluntary basis:

  • Member of a citizen council
  • Non-administrator member, with a mandate within a mutual, union or federation

In this case, no conditions are linked to the nature of the activity of the association or to a minimum reporting period.

We must check whether this leave is provided for in a agreement or collective agreement.

Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement

The leave is provided for by a collective agreement or collective agreement

The Convention or Agreement shall lay down the following points:

Leave is not provided for in a collective agreement or collective agreement

The Act provides for the following:

  • The maximum period of leave shall be 6 working days per year
  • The leave of voluntary association leaders may be combined with the leave for economic, social and trade union training up to a maximum of 12 working days per year
  • The leave is not paid.

The leave can be divided into half days.

Leave is granted at your request on proof of your volunteer duties.

The rules vary if the leave is provided for in a agreement or collective agreement :

Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement

The leave is provided for by a collective agreement or collective agreement

The text determines the following points:

  • Time frame within which you must submit your leave request to your employer
  • Maximum number of employees, per establishment, able to benefit from the leave during a year.

Leave is not provided for in a collective agreement or collective agreement

You must inform your employer of your willingness to take leave at least 30 days in advance.

You must specify the date and duration of the proposed absence.

Your request for leave must be made, by registered mail with acknowledgement of receipt or hand delivered against receipt.

Your employer may refuse your leave if the number of employees, by establishment (facility or site), who have already benefited from such leave during the year is as follows:

Tableau - Number of leave already granted that can justify refusing a new start

Number of employees in the establishment

Employees who took leave during the year

Less than 50

1

50 to 99

2

100 to 199

3

200 to 499

4

500 to 999

5

1 000 to 1 999

6

From 2 000

6 + 1 additional employee per additional 1,000 employees

The refusal of the employer may be challenged by the employee before the labor court council.

Leave shall be treated as a period of actual work for the purpose of determining entitlements to paid leave and for all other entitlements resulting from the employment contract.

Public official

All public officials (civil servants and contract staff) may be granted leave to perform one of the following duties on a voluntary basis:

  • Statutory director (member of the board of directors, the board...) of a public interest association (law 1901 orAlsace-Moselle)
  • Manager supervising other volunteers of an association of general interest (law 1901 or Alsace-Moselle).

In these 2 cases, the association must be declared for at least 1 year and complete one the following conditions:

  • Be philanthropic, educational, scientific, social, humanitarian, sporting, family, cultural
  • Contribute to the enhancement of artistic heritage, the defense of the natural environment or the dissemination of French culture, language and scientific knowledge.

All public officials may also be granted leave if they perform one of the following functions on a voluntary basis:

  • Member of a citizen council
  • Member of a mutual, union or federation without being a director and outside his status as an official, within the framework of a mandate for which he has been appointed or elected by statute
  • Delegate of the Defender of Rights.

All public servants under the age of 25 may also be granted leave to participate in the voluntary activities of certain organizations.

In these cases, no conditions are linked to the nature of the activity of the association or to a minimum reporting period.

The maximum period of leave shall be 6 working days per year.

The leave is unpaid.

It shall have no effect on the following leave entitlements:

  • Annual leave and enhanced leave
  • Regular, long-term or long-term sick leave
  • Maternity or adoption leave
  • Paternity and childcare leave
  • Vocational Training Leave
  • Leave for validation of work experience
  • Competency Check Leave
  • Family solidarity leave
  • Leave for Union Training
  • Parental leave.

The leave can be taken in one or 2 times.

Leave is granted at your request on proof of your volunteer duties.