Works council (CSE)
Verified 06 August 2026 - Public Service / (Prime Minister)
The Social and Economic Committee (CSE) is the company's representative body for staff. It must be implemented in companies of 11 or more employees. The missions, the skills and the composition of the CSE vary according to the company's workforce. We present the regulations to you.
What applies to you ?
Company with less than 11 employees
The establishment of a CSE is not possible in companies with fewer than 11 employees.
Its implementation becomes mandatory if at least 11 employees are employed for 12 consecutive months.
Company of 11 to 49 employees
CSE must be implemented in all companies with 11 or more employees:
- Employers governed by private law and their employees, whatever the legal form and the company's activity (commercial businesses, civil businesses, associations)
- Public establishments of an industrial and commercial nature
- Public institutions of administrative nature employing private law personnel.
The employer shall organize all 4 years the election of CSE members. A collective agreement may set another period of between 2 and 4 years.
Please note
At the end of the term of office of the members of the CSE staff delegation, if the company has remained below 11 employees for at least 12 consecutive months, the CSE shall not be renewed.
The CSE understands the employer and one staff delegation.
The staff delegation shall consist of an equal number of incumbents and alternates. The alternate shall attend meetings in the absence of the holder.
Headcount (number of employees) | Number of holders |
|---|---|
11 to 24 | 1 |
25 to 49 | 2 |
FYI
A focal point for combating sexual harassment is appointed from among the members of CSE.
Powers of CSE
CSE's responsibilities are defined according to the size of the company.
The mission of the staff delegation at CSE is to present to the employer the individual or collective claims on the following points:
- Salaries
- Application of the Labor Code and other legal provisions, including social protection
- Conventions and agreements applicable in the company.
It contributes to promoting health, safety and working conditions in the company.
She makes investigations in the case of occupational or occupational accidents at work or diseases.
The employer shall submit to the CSE a list of the preventive and protective measures provided for in single occupational risk assessment document (DUERP).
Members may refer to the labor inspectorate any complaints and observations relating to the application of the legal provisions for which the CSE is responsible.
Right of Alert
CSE members benefit of a right of alert allowing the employer to seek clarification from the employer in the following situations:
- Infringement of the rights of individuals (e.g. psychological harassment), their physical and mental health or individual freedoms (e.g. freedom of expression, opinion) in the company
- Serious and imminent danger
- Serious and imminent public health and environmental risk.
To carry out its missions, the CSE benefits from different means (budget, premises, billboard, training of CSE members...) according to the company's workforce.
Yes, every CSE member benefits hours of delegation to carry out his duties.
This number of hours is 10 hours per month.
Headcount (number of employees) | Number of holders | Monthly hours of delegation | Total hours of delegation |
|---|---|---|---|
11 to 24 | 1 | 10 | 10 |
25 to 49 | 2 | 10 | 20 |
Time spent in CSE meetings is paid as working time. There is no deduction from this delegation hours credit.
The employer must summon the CSE members at least 1 time per month.
The meetings of the CSE shall bring together the employer or his representative and the members of the staff delegation.
Please note
Alternates shall participate in meetings in the absence of the incumbents.
Members of the staff delegation at CSE benefit from protection against dismissal : they are protected employees.
The protected employee status ensures that the dismissal of the employee is not related to his duties as a staff representative. This protection is intended in particular to protect him from possible reprisals by the employer.
Company of 50 or more employees
CSE must be implemented in all companies with 11 or more employees:
- Employers governed by private law and their employees, whatever the legal form and the company's activity (commercial businesses, civil businesses, associations)
- Public establishments of an industrial and commercial nature
- Public institutions of administrative nature employing private law personnel.
The employer shall organize all 4 years the election of CSE members. A collective agreement may set another period of between 2 and 4 years.
Please note
At the end of the term of office of the members of the CSE staff delegation, if the company has remained below 11 employees for at least 12 consecutive months, the CSE shall not be renewed.
The CSE understands the employer and one staff delegation.
The staff delegation shall consist of an equal number of incumbents and alternates. The alternate shall attend meetings in the absence of the holder.
In the companies less than 300 employees, the shop steward is automatically a trade union representative at the CSE.
In the companies more than 300 employees, each representative trade union organization in the company or the institution may designate a representative to serve on the CSE.
The occupational physician and the internal head of the safety department attend CSE meetings on health, safety and working conditions.
FYI
A focal point for combating sexual harassment is appointed from among the members of CSE.
Headcount (number of employees) | Number of holders |
|---|---|
50 to 74 | 4 |
75 to 99 | 5 |
100 to 124 | 6 |
125 to 149 | 7 |
150 to 174 | 8 |
175 to 199 | 9 |
200 to 249 | 10 |
250 to 299 | 11 |
300 to 399 | 11 |
400 to 499 | 12 |
500 to 599 | 13 |
600 to 699 | 14 |
700 to 799 | 14 |
800 to 899 | 15 |
900 to 999 | 16 |
1 000 to 1 249 | 17 |
1 250 to 1 499 | 18 |
1,500 to 1,749 | 20 |
1 750 to 1 999 | 21 |
2 000 to 2 249 | 22 |
2 250 to 2 499 | 23 |
2 500 to 2 749 | 24 |
2 750 to 2 999 | 24 |
3 000 to 3 249 | 25 |
3 250 to 3 499 | 25 |
3500 to 3 749 | 26 |
3,750 to 3,999 | 26 |
4 000 to 4 249 | 26 |
4 250 to 4 499 | 27 |
4 500 to 4 749 | 27 |
4 750 to 4 999 | 28 |
5 000 to 5 249 | 29 |
5 250 to 5 499 | 29 |
5 500 to 5 749 | 29 |
5,750 to 5,999 | 30 |
6 000 to 6 249 | 31 |
6 250 to 6 499 | 31 |
6 500 to 6 749 | 31 |
6,750 to 6,999 | 31 |
7 000 to 7 249 | 32 |
7,250 to 7,499 | 32 |
7,500 to 7,749 | 32 |
7,750 to 7,999 | 32 |
8 000 to 8 249 | 32 |
8 250 to 8 499 | 33 |
8,500 to 8,749 | 33 |
8 750 to 8 999 | 33 |
9 000 to 9 249 | 34 |
9,250 to 9,499 | 34 |
9,500 to 9,749 | 34 |
9,750 to 9,999 | 34 |
10,000 | 35 |
Powers of CSE
The mission of the staff delegation at CSE is to present to the employer the individual or collective claims on the following points:
- Salaries
- Application of the Labor Code and other legal provisions, including social protection
- Conventions and agreements applicable in the company.
It contributes to promoting health, safety and working conditions in the company. She makes investigations in the case of occupational or occupational accidents at work or diseases.
Members may refer to the labor inspectorate any complaints and observations relating to the application of the legal provisions for which the CSE is responsible.
The CSE is informed and consulted on matters relating to the organization, management and general operation of the company, in particular:
- Measures likely to affect the size or structure of the workforce
- Modification of its economic or legal organization
- Conditions of employment, working conditions, including hours of work and vocational training
- Introduction of new technologies, any significant changes in health and safety conditions or working conditions
- Measures taken to facilitate the placing or keeping at work of sick persons, injured persons, disabled persons and disabled workers, in particular with regard to the fitting out of workstations
- Project of sale of the company.
Expression of employees
The mission of the CSE is to ensure the collective expression of employees allowing their interests to be taken into account on an ongoing basis in decisions on:
- Management and economic and financial development of the company
- Organization of work
- Vocational training
- Production techniques.
General organization of the company
The CSE is informed and consulted on the issues of interest to the organization, management and general operation of the company, in particular as regards:
- Measures likely to affect the size or structure of the workforce
- Modification of its economic or legal organization
- Conditions of employment, working conditions, including working hours, and vocational training
- Introduction of new technologies, any significant changes in health and safety conditions or working conditions
- Measures taken to facilitate the placing or keeping at work of the sick, injured, disabled and disabled workers, in particular with regard to the fitting out of workstations.
The CSE may post information that it has the role of bringing to the attention of employees on mandatory locations and at the gates of workplaces.
Health and safety in the company
In the field of health, safety and working conditions, CSE has the following missions:
- Analyzes the occupational risks to which workers, particularly pregnant women, may be exposed
- Helps to facilitate women's access to all jobs and to solve maternity-related problems
- Participates in the adaptation and adjustment of workstations to facilitate access and maintenance of persons with disabilities to all jobs during their working life
- May encourage any initiative it deems useful and propose, in particular, actions to prevent psychological harassment, sexual harassment and gender-based behavior.
CSE carries out regular inspections on health, safety and working conditions. It carries out investigations into occupational or occupational accidents at work or diseases.
Labor Inspection
During the visits of the labor inspectorate control officer, members of the staff delegation to CSE are informed of his presence by the employer. They can make their comments.
The control officer shall be accompanied by a member of the staff delegation of the committee, if the latter so wishes.
Proposals
The CSE shall, on its own initiative, and shall, at the request of the employer, consider any proposals which may improve:
- Working, employment and vocational training conditions of employees
- Living conditions in the company
- Conditions under which they benefit from supplementary collective guarantees.
Consultation
The CSE is consulted on:
- Strategic orientations of the company
- Economic and financial situation of the company
- Social policy of the company, working conditions and employment
- Implementation of the means of controlling the activity of employees
- Restructuring and downsizing
- Collective redundancy for economic reasons
- Takeover bid
- Safeguarding, recovery and bankruptcy procedures.
Right of Alert
Members of the CSE receive a right to alert allowing the employer to seek clarification from the employer in the following situations:
- Infringement of the rights of individuals (e.g. psychological harassment), their physical and mental health or individual freedoms (e.g. freedom of expression, opinion) in the company
- Serious and imminent danger to public health and environment
- Knowledge of facts likely to affect the economic situation of the company in a worrying manner
- Knowledge of facts that may indicate misuse of fixed-term employment contracts (CDD).
Participation in the Board of Directors
In the businesses, 2 members of the CSE staff delegation shall be present in an advisory capacity at all meetings of the Management Board or Supervisory Board. They can also attend general meetings.
Commissions
The number of commissions varies according to the number of employees in the company.
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Company with less than 300 employees
In companies with fewer than 300 employees, the establishment of one or more commissions may be decided by company agreement or by agreement between the employer and the CSE.
The supervisory officer of the labor inspectorate may, if he deems it necessary, impose the creation a committee on health, safety and working conditions.
Company of 300+ employees
The CSE is made up of several committees:
- Committee on Health, Safety and Working Conditions
- Committee on Training to study continuing vocational training schemes
- Housing Information and Assistance Commission responsible for facilitating the employee's access to the ownership and rental of housing
- Committee on Equal Opportunities to Study company Social Policy
- Procurement Commission responsible for selecting CSE suppliers and service providers.
Company of 1,000 employees and more
The CSE is made up of several committees:
- Committee on Health, Safety and Working Conditions
- Committee on Training to study continuing vocational training schemes
- Housing Information and Assistance Commission responsible for facilitating the employee's access to the ownership and rental of housing
- Committee on Equal Opportunities to Study company Social Policy
- Procurement Commission responsible for selecting CSE suppliers and contractors
- Economic Commission for the Study of company Economic and Financial Documents.
To carry out its missions, the CSE benefits from different means (budget, premises, billboard, training of CSE members...) according to the company's workforce.
Yes, full CSE members benefit hours of delegation to carry out their duties during their working time without having a loss of salary.
This number of hours is at least 6 p.m. per month.
Time spent in CSE meetings is paid as working time. It is not deducted from these hours of delegation.
The number of members and the number of hours of delegation of the CSE staff delegation varies according to the size of the company.
Headcount (number of employees) | Number of holders | Monthly hours of delegation | Total hours of delegation |
|---|---|---|---|
50 to 74 | 4 | 18 | 72 |
75 to 99 | 5 | 19 | 95 |
100 to 124 | 6 | 21 | 126 |
125 to 149 | 7 | 21 | 147 |
150 to 174 | 8 | 21 | 168 |
175 to 199 | 9 | 21 | 189 |
200 to 249 | 10 | 22 | 220 |
250 to 299 | 11 | 22 | 242 |
300 to 399 | 11 | 22 | 242 |
400 to 499 | 12 | 22 | 264 |
500 to 599 | 13 | 24 | 312 |
600 to 699 | 14 | 24 | 336 |
700 to 799 | 14 | 24 | 336 |
800 to 899 | 15 | 24 | 360 |
900 to 999 | 16 | 24 | 384 |
1 000 to 1 249 | 17 | 24 | 408 |
1 250 to 1 499 | 18 | 24 | 432 |
1,500 to 1,749 | 20 | 26 | 520 |
1 750 to 1 999 | 21 | 26 | 546 |
2 000 to 2 249 | 22 | 26 | 572 |
2 250 to 2 499 | 23 | 26 | 598 |
2 500 to 2 749 | 24 | 26 | 624 |
2 750 to 2 999 | 24 | 26 | 624 |
3 000 to 3 249 | 25 | 26 | 650 |
3 250 to 3 499 | 25 | 26 | 650 |
3 500 to 3 749 | 26 | 27 | 702 |
3,750 to 3,999 | 26 | 27 | 702 |
4 000 to 4 249 | 26 | 28 | 728 |
4 250 to 4 499 | 27 | 28 | 756 |
4 500 to 4 749 | 27 | 28 | 756 |
4 750 to 4 999 | 28 | 28 | 784 |
5 000 to 5 249 | 29 | 29 | 841 |
5 250 to 5 499 | 29 | 29 | 841 |
5 500 to 5 749 | 29 | 29 | 841 |
5,750 to 5,999 | 30 | 29 | 870 |
6 000 to 6 249 | 31 | 29 | 899 |
6 250 to 6 499 | 31 | 29 | 899 |
6 500 to 6 749 | 31 | 29 | 899 |
6,750 to 6,999 | 31 | 30 | 930 |
7 000 to 7 249 | 32 | 30 | 960 |
7,250 to 7,499 | 32 | 30 | 960 |
7,500 to 7,749 | 32 | 31 | 992 |
7,750 to 7,999 | 32 | 32 | 1,024 |
8 000 to 8 249 | 32 | 32 | 1,024 |
8 250 to 8 499 | 33 | 32 | 1,056 |
8,500 to 8,749 | 33 | 32 | 1,056 |
8 750 to 8 999 | 33 | 32 | 1,056 |
9 000 to 9 249 | 34 | 32 | 1,088 |
9,250 to 9,499 | 34 | 32 | 1,088 |
9,500 to 9,749 | 34 | 32 | 1,088 |
9,750 to 9,999 | 34 | 34 | 1,156 |
10,000 | 35 | 34 | 1,190 |
The number of CSE meetings shall be fixed by collective agreement, but may not be less than 6 per year.
In the absence of agreement, CSE shall meet at least:
- 1 time every 2 months in companies with less than 300 employees
- 1 time per month in companies with more than 300 employees.
CSE meetings bring together the employer or its representative and members of the staff delegation.
Members of the staff delegation at CSE benefit from protection against dismissal : they are protected employees.
The protected employee status ensures that the dismissal of the employee is not related to his duties as a staff representative. This protection is intended in particular to protect him from possible reprisals by the employer.
Who can help me?
Find who can answer your questions in your region
Establishment of the CSE
General responsibilities of CSE
Powers of CSE
Annual consultation on company social policy, working conditions and employment
Recruitment methods and means of controlling the activity of employees
Alert in case of violation of the rights of persons
Alert in case of serious and imminent danger
Right of economic alert
Right to social alert
Composition of CSE
Number of members and hours of delegation of CSE staff delegation
Organization of elections
Electorate and eligibility
Duration and end of term
Hours of Delegation
Display
Funding training health, safety and working conditions
Meetings in companies with less than 50 employees
Meetings in companies with less than 300 employees and at least 300 employees
Financing economic training
Information and consultation of CSE in the event of a proposed sale of the company