Right to organize in the public service
Verified 18 August 2026 - Public Service / (Prime Minister)
The right to organize allows public officials to benefit from trade union information and to exercise trade union activity during their working hours. We present the conditions for exercising these rights in the 3 public functions: State (FPE), Territorial (FPT) and Hospital (FPH).
EPF
The right to organize is guaranteed to every agent public.
Officers may freely establish a trade union. Each agent may freely adhere to it and to carry out mandates there.
No distinction, direct or indirect, can be made between officers because of their union views.
No mention of union opinions or activities may be made in an officer's file or in any other administrative document.
The skills acquired in the exercise of trade union activity are taken into account in the context of the acquired professional experience.
Electronic display and dissemination of information
Signs reserved for union signage are installed in easily accessible premises to public officials, but not normally available to the public.
Unions may also use intranet and have their own e-mail address to distribute trade union leaflets in the conditions laid down by the administration.
Distribution of union documents
Trade union documents may be distributed to staff members within the administrative buildings, outside premises open to the public.
These distributions must not disrupt the proper functioning of the service.
When it takes place during working hours, the distribution of leaflets may be carried out by agents who are not on duty or who have a discharge of service activity.
Union meetings
All trade union organizations can hold briefings or meetings provided for in their statutes within the administrative buildings.
These meetings are normally held outside working hours. However, they may take place during working hours, but in this case only officers who are not on duty or who have special leave of absence on union grounds may attend.
Representative trade union organizations may hold monthly information meetings during working hours. Subject to service requirements they may group their information meetings together in the event, in particular, of the dispersion of services. These meetings take place in one of the buildings of the departments concerned.
Representative trade union organizations shall be those which have at least one seat on the social administrative committee responsible for the staff to whom the monthly information meeting is addressed.
In the election of staff representatives to one or more consultation bodies (CAP: titleContent, CCP: titleContent, social committee), any trade union organization which presents candidates for this election may organize a special meeting during the period of 6 weeks preceding polling day.
Any mandated trade union representative by the trade union of which it is a member may freely participate in meetings held by that trade union even if it does not belong to the service, local authority or establishment in which the meeting is held.
The administrative or territorial authority must be informed of the attendance of this trade union representative at least 24 hours before the date fixed for the meeting.
The holding of a trade union meeting must not affect the proper functioning of the service or lead to a reduction in the duration of the opening of the service to users.
The holding of a trade union meeting must be the subject of a request for prior organization, at least 1 week before the scheduled date.
FYI
Special conditions are laid down in the National Education for monthly information meetings organized by representative trade union organizations and special information meetings before the professional elections.
A public official (civil servant or contract staff) in active employment may benefit from paid leave to take a training course organized by trade union organizations on a list fixed by ministerial decree.
The duration of the leave shall be 12 working days maximum per year. In services and establishments subject to the school year, the reference year is the school year.
The number of agents who may be granted leave for trade union training is limited in each central administration, each foreign service dependent on it and each public institution.
This number shall be determined by reference to the number of votes obtained by the trade unions responsible for the formations in the last election of staff representatives to the ministerial social administration committee, within the limit of 5% actual headcount in the central administration, foreign service or public institution concerned.
The leave request must be done in writing to the head of department at least 1 month before the beginning of the training. In the absence of a reply on 15e the day before the start of the training, the leave shall be considered as accepted.
Leave is granted subject to service requirements. Any refusal decision must be reasoned and communicated to the CAP: titleContent or to the CCP: titleContent at its next meeting.
Upon returning from training, the official shall give his head of department a certificate of attendance issued by the training organization.
Special leave of absence is granted to members of trade union organizations with a mandate to attend trade union congresses or other forums.
Congresses or meetings of management bodies
Special leave of absence is granted to union representatives, mandated to attend congresses or meetings of the governing bodies of which they are members.
Such special leave of absence shall be granted, subject to service requirementsupon presentation of the notice of meeting.
The maximum number of days of leave of absence that can be granted varies depending on whether the union is represented on the Common Council of the Public Service.
Trade union organizations concerned | Number of days of absence authorizations per agent per year |
|---|---|
| 10 days |
| 20 days |
Other instances
Authorizations for absence are granted to trade union representatives (incumbents and alternates) and experts, who are called upon to sit in other bodies.
Absence permits are granted upon presentation of the meeting notice or document.
These instances are as follows:
- Joint Council of the Civil Service and Higher Council of the State Civil Service
- Social Administrative Committees, CAP: titleContent, CCP: titleContent, specialized training in health, safety and working conditions
- Economic, Social and Environmental Council or Regional Economic, Social and Environmental Councils
- Medical advice
- Interdepartmental Social Action Committee, Regional Interdepartmental Sections and Ministerial Social Action Commissions
- Boards of directors of social or mutual organizations, including pension organizations
- Public bodies responsible for promoting diversity in the public service
- Boards of directors of hospitals and educational institutions.
In each ministerial department, meetings of certain consultation bodies fixed by ministerial decree may also give rise to absence authorizations.
The length of the leave of absence shall include travel time, the expected length of the meeting and a time equal to the expected length of the meeting for the preparation and reporting of the works.
This preparation and reporting time for works may not exceed 2 days for union representatives sitting on CAPS.
Working meetings convened by the Administration
Authorizations for absence are granted to trade union representatives who participate in working meetings convened by the administration or in national negotiations.
The length of the leave of absence shall include the journey time, the expected length of the meeting and a time equal to that for the preparation and reporting of the works.
Trade unions benefit from a union time credit usable as service activity discharges or hours credit according to the needs of the trade union activity.
Service Activity Discharges allow trade union representatives topractice, full-time or part-time, during their hours of service, trade union activity in lieu of their administrative activity.
The credit of hours allows trade union representatives to benefit of absence authorizations a minimum of half a day to participate in trade union activity.
The trade union time credit shall be determined in each ministry after each election of the staff representatives to the social administrative committee. It is renewed every year until the following elections, unless the perimeter of the ministerial department changes resulting in a variation of more than 20% staff.
The trade union time credit of each ministry is calculated on the basis of the number of agents registered on the electoral roll for election to the social administrative committee according to the following scale;
- 1 full-time equivalent per 230 staff up to 140 000,
- 1 full-time equivalent per 650 staff, over 140 000 staff.
Half of the trade union time credit shall be distributed among the trade unions represented on the ministerial social administrative committee according to the number of seats they hold there.
The other half shall be distributed among all the trade unions which have submitted their candidacy for the election of the Social Committee of Ministerial Administration in proportion to the number of votes obtained.
The trade union shall freely designate from among its representatives the beneficiaries of the trade union time credit granted to it.
Absence permits are granted subject to service requirements.
With regard to service discharge, if the appointment of an official is incompatible with the proper functioning of the service, the administration shall give reasons for its refusal and invite the trade union organization to choose another official. The CAP: titleContent or the CCP: titleContent shall be informed of that decision.
FYI
Each trade union represented on the Supreme Council of the State Civil Service is also entitled to a number of service discharges fixed by ministerial decree according to the number of seats it has on that council.
An incumbent official may be detached to a trade union to exercise a trade union mandate.
FPT
The right to organize is guaranteed to every agent public.
Officers may freely establish a trade union. Each agent may freely adhere to it and to carry out mandates there.
No distinction, direct or indirect, can be made between officers because of their union views.
No mention of union opinions or activities may be made in an officer's file or in any other administrative document.
The skills acquired in the exercise of trade union activity are taken into account in the context of the acquired professional experience.
Display, electronic distribution
Signs reserved for union signage are installed in easily accessible premises to public officials, but not normally available to the public.
Unions may also use intranet and have their own e-mail address to distribute trade union leaflets in the conditions laid down by the administration.
Distribution of union documents
Trade union documents may be distributed to staff members within the administrative buildings, outside premises open to the public.
These distributions must not disrupt the proper functioning of the service.
When it takes place during working hours, the distribution of leaflets may be carried out by agents who are not on duty or who have a discharge of service activity.
Union meetings
All trade union organizations can hold briefings or meetings provided for in their statutes within the administrative buildings.
These meetings are normally held outside working hours. However, they may take place during working hours, but in this case only officers who are not on duty or who have special leave of absence on union grounds may attend.
Representative trade union organizations may hold monthly one-hour information meetings during working hours. The same representative trade union organization may aggregate several of its monthly information hours per quarter.
Representative trade union organizations shall be those with at least one seat on the territorial social committee.
Where it is impossible to hold information and statutory meetings within the administrative buildings, such meetings may be held in other premises made available to trade union organizations.
In the election of staff representatives to one or more consultation bodies (CAP: titleContent, CCP: titleContent, social committee), any trade union organization which presents candidates for this election may organize a special meeting during the period of 6 weeks preceding polling day.
Any mandated trade union representative by the trade union of which it is a member may freely participate in meetings held by that trade union even if it does not belong to the service, local authority or establishment in which the meeting is held.
The administrative or territorial authority must be informed of the attendance of this trade union representative at least 24 hours before the date fixed for the meeting.
These union meetings can only take placeoutside premises open to the public.
The holding of a trade union meeting must not affect the proper functioning of the service or lead to a reduction in the duration of the opening of the service to users.
The holding of a trade union meeting must be the subject of a request for prior organization, at least 1 week before the scheduled date.
A public official (civil servant or contract staff) in active employment may benefit from paid leave to take a training course organized by trade union organizations on a list fixed by ministerial decree.
The duration of the leave shall be 12 working days maximum per year.
In communities or institutions employing 100 or more officers, the number of officers who may be granted leave for union training in the same year shall be limited to 5% actual headcount.
The leave request must be done in writing to the head of department at least 1 month before the beginning of the training. In the absence of a reply on 15e the day before the start of the training, the leave shall be considered as accepted.
Leave is granted subject to service requirements. Any refusal decision must be reasoned and communicated to the CAP: titleContent or to the CCP: titleContent at its next meeting.
Upon returning from training, the official shall give his head of department a certificate of attendance issued by the training organization.
Special leave of absence is granted to members of trade union organizations with a mandate to attend trade union congresses or other forums.
Congresses or meetings of management bodies
Special leave of absence is granted to union representatives, mandated to attend congresses or meetings of the governing bodies of which they are members.
Such special leave of absence shall be granted, subject to service requirementsupon presentation of the notice of meeting.
The maximum number of days of leave of absence that can be granted varies depending on whether the union is represented on the Common Council of the Public Service.
Trade union organizations concerned | Number of days of absence authorizations per agent per year |
|---|---|
| 10 days |
| 20 days |
Requests for leave of absence must be made at least 3 days before the meeting date.
Other instances
Authorizations for absence are granted to union representatives, members and alternates, and to experts, who are called upon to sit in other bodies.
Absence permits are granted upon presentation of the meeting notice or document.
These instances are as follows:
- Joint Council of the Civil Service and Higher Council of the Territorial Civil Service
- French national centre for local civil service
- Territorial social committees, CAP: titleContent, CCP: titleContent, specialized training in health, safety and working conditions
- Medical advice
- Economic, Social and Environmental Council and Regional Economic, Social and Environmental Councils
- National Conference of Fire and Rescue Services
- Municipal Police Advisory Board
- Boards of directors of pension funds, social security funds and mutual societies
- Boards of directors of any national or local authority for which the presence of representatives of the personnel of the territorial public service is required by law or decree.
The length of the leave of absence shall include travel time, the expected length of the meeting and a time equal to the expected length of the meeting for the preparation and reporting of the works.
Working meetings convened by the Administration
Authorizations for absence are granted to trade union representatives who participate in working meetings convened by the administration or in national negotiations.
The length of the leave of absence shall include the journey time, the expected length of the meeting and a time equal to that for the preparation and reporting of the works.
Trade unions benefit from a trade union time credit which includes a quota of hours and a quota of service activity discharges.
The quota of hours allows trade union representatives to benefit of absence authorizations to participate in congresses or meetings of management bodies at a level other than those which entitle to special leave authorizations within the limit of 10 or 20 days.
This quota of absence authorizations is calculated correctly one hour of leave of absence per 1 000 working hours completed by the agents registered on the electoral roll of the territorial social committee.
The service activity discharge quota allows trade union representatives to practice, full-time or part-time, during their hours of service, a trade union activity in place of their administrative activity.
This union time credit is determined in each community after each election of the employee representatives to the territorial social committee. It is renewed every year until the following elections, unless the scope of the territorial social committee is changed or more than 20% staff.
The number of hours of service discharge depends on the number of agents registered on the electoral list of the territorial social committee:
Number of voters | Number of service activity discharge hours per month |
|---|---|
Less than 100 | Equal to the number of voters |
100 to 200 | 100 |
201 to 400 | 130 |
401 to 600 | 170 |
601 to 800 | 210 |
801 to 1,000 | 250 |
1 001 to 1 250 | 300 |
1,251 to 1,500 | 350 |
1,501 to 1,750 | 400 |
1 751 to 2 000 | 450 |
2 001 to 3 000 | 550 |
3 001 to 4 000 | 650 |
4 001 to 5 000 | 1,000 |
5 001 to 10 000 | 1,500 |
10 001 to 17 000 | 1,700 |
17 001 to 25 000 | 1,800 |
25 001 to 50 000 | 2,000 |
Over 50,000 | 2,500 |
Half of each quota shall be distributed among the trade unions represented on the Territorial Social Committee according to the number of seats they hold there.
The other half of each quota shall be distributed among all the trade unions which have submitted their candidacy for election to the Territorial Social Committee in proportion to the number of votes obtained.
Each trade union shall designate the beneficiaries of the trade union time credit available to it from among its representatives active in the community or establishment.
Absence permits are granted subject to service requirements.
With regard to service discharge, if the appointment of a staff member is incompatible with the proper functioning of the service, the territorial authority shall give reasons for its refusal and invite the trade union organization to choose another staff member.
An incumbent official may be detached to a trade union to exercise a trade union mandate.
A territorial agent (civil servant or contract agent) may be made available a trade union to exercise a trade union mandate.
FPH
The right to organize is guaranteed to every agent public.
Officers may freely establish a trade union. Each agent may freely adhere to it and to carry out mandates there.
No distinction, direct or indirect, can be made between officers because of their union views.
No mention of union opinions or activities may be made in an officer's file or in any other administrative document.
The skills acquired in the exercise of trade union activity are taken into account in the context of the acquired professional experience.
Display, electronic distribution
Signs reserved for union signage are installed in easily accessible premises to public officials, but not normally available to the public.
Unions may also use intranet and have their own e-mail address to distribute trade union leaflets in the conditions laid down by the administration.
Distribution of documents
Trade union documents may be distributed to staff members within the administrative buildings, outside premises open to the public.
These distributions must not disrupt the proper functioning of the service.
When it takes place during working hours, the distribution of leaflets may be carried out by agents who are not on duty or who have a discharge of service activity.
Union meetings
All trade union organizations can hold briefings or meetings provided for in their statutes within the administrative buildings.
These meetings are normally held outside working hours. However, they may take place during working hours, but in this case only officers who are not on duty or who have special leave of absence on union grounds may attend.
Representative trade union organizations may hold monthly one-hour information meetings during working hours. The same representative trade union organization may aggregate several of its monthly information hours per quarter.
Representative trade union organizations shall be those with at least one seat on the territorial social committee.
Where it is impossible to hold information and statutory meetings within the administrative buildings, such meetings may be held in other premises made available to trade union organizations.
In the election of staff representatives to one or more consultation bodies (CAP: titleContent, CCP: titleContent, social committee), any trade union organization which presents candidates for this election may organize a special meeting during the period of 6 weeks preceding polling day.
Any mandated trade union representative by the trade union of which it is a member may freely participate in meetings held by that trade union even if it does not belong to the service, local authority or establishment in which the meeting is held.
The administrative or territorial authority must be informed of the attendance of this trade union representative at least 24 hours before the date fixed for the meeting.
These union meetings can only take placeoutside premises open to the public.
The holding of a trade union meeting must not affect the proper functioning of the service or lead to a reduction in the duration of the opening of the service to users.
The holding of a trade union meeting must be the subject of a request for prior organization, at least 1 week before the scheduled date.
The response must be made no later than 48 hours before the meeting.
A public official (civil servant or contract staff) in active employment may benefit from paid leave to attend training organized by a trade union organization on a list fixed by ministerial decree.
The duration of this leave shall be fixed at 12 working days maximum per year.
In each institution, the number of staff members who may be granted leave in the same year is limited.
This number is determined, within the limit of 5% the actual number of staff, according to the average number of votes obtained by the trade unions, which are responsible for the training, in the establishment, during the elections of the staff representatives to the CAP: titleContent departmental.
Where the establishment has fewer than 20 employees, the number of days of leave shared by the trade unions shall not exceed 5% the number of staff multiplied by 12.
The leave request must be done in writing to the head of department at least 1 month before the beginning of the training. In the absence of a reply on 15e the day before the start of the training, the leave shall be considered as accepted.
Leave is granted subject to service requirements. Any refusal decision must be reasoned and communicated to the CAP: titleContent or to the CCP: titleContent at its next meeting.
Upon returning from training, the official shall provide the director of the establishment with a certificate of attendance issued by the training organization.
Special leave of absence is granted to members of trade union organizations with a mandate to attend trade union congresses or other forums.
Congresses or meetings of management bodies
Special leave of absence is granted to union representatives, mandated to attend congresses or meetings of the governing bodies of which they are members.
Such special leave of absence shall be granted, subject to service requirementsupon presentation of the notice of meeting.
The maximum number of days of leave of absence that can be granted varies depending on whether the union is represented on the Common Council of the Public Service.
Trade union organizations concerned | Number of days of absence authorizations per agent per year |
|---|---|
| 10 days |
| 20 days |
Requests for leave of absence must be made at least 3 days before the meeting date.
Other instances
Special leave of absence is granted to union representatives, incumbents and alternates, and to experts, who are called upon to serve in other forums.
Absence permits are granted upon presentation of the meeting notice or document.
These instances are as follows:
- Meetings of the legislative assemblies of public hospitals
- National Association for the Training of Hospital Personnel (ANFH) and Committee for the Management of Social Work of Hospital Personnel (Cegos)
- Joint Council of the Civil Service and Higher Council of the Hospital Civil Service
- National Advisory Committees
- Social committees of establishments, CAP: titleContent, CCP: titleContent, specialized training in health, safety and working conditions
- Medical advice
- Establishment Medical Commissions
- National Center for Hospital Practitioners and Hospital Public Service Leadership
- National Committee and Local Committees of the Fund for the Integration of Persons with Disabilities into the Civil Service
- Boards of directors of pension funds, social security funds and mutual societies
- Economic, Social and Environmental Council and Regional Economic, Social and Environmental Councils
- National Agency for Continuing Professional Development.
The length of the leave of absence shall include travel time, the expected length of the meeting and a time equal to twice the expected length of the meeting for representatives of the staff to prepare and report on the works.
Working meetings convened by the Administration
Authorizations for absence are granted to trade union representatives who participate in working meetings convened by the administration or in national negotiations.
The length of the leave of absence shall include the journey time, the expected length of the meeting and a time equal to that for the preparation and reporting of the works.
Trade unions benefit from a trade union time credit that can be used in the form of service activity discharges or hours credit according to the needs of the trade union activity.
Service Activity Discharges allow trade union representatives topractice, full-time or part-time, during their hours of service, trade union activity in lieu of their administrative activity.
The credit of hours allows trade union representatives to benefit of absence authorizations a minimum of half a day to participate in trade union activity.
This trade union time credit shall be determined, at each establishment, after each election of the staff representatives to the establishment social committee. It is renewed every year until the following elections.
The union time credit for each institution consists of two distinct volumes of hours:
- 1 volume of hours calculated at the rate of one hour per 1,000 hours worked by the agents registered on the electoral roll of the social committee of establishment
- and 1 volume of hours which depends on the number of staff the number of staff in permanent full-time employment.
The second volume of hours is determined according to the following scale:
Number of staff in permanent full-time employment | Number of hours per month |
|---|---|
Less than 100 | Equal to the number of staff in permanent full-time employment |
100 to 200 | 100 |
201 to 400 | 130 |
401 to 600 | 170 |
601 to 800 | 210 |
801 to 1,000 | 250 |
1 001 to 1 250 | 300 |
1,251 to 1,500 | 350 |
1,501 to 1,750 | 400 |
1 751 to 2 000 | 450 |
2 001 to 3 000 | 550 |
3 001 to 4 000 | 650 |
4 001 to 5 000 | 1,000 |
5 001 to 6 000 | 1,500 |
Over 6,000 | 100 additional hours for 1 000 additional staff |
Half of the trade union time credit shall be distributed among the trade unions represented on the social establishment committee according to the number of seats they have obtained.
The other half shall be distributed among all the trade unions which have submitted their candidacy for election to the social committee of establishment in proportion to the number of votes obtained.
The trade union shall designate the beneficiaries of the trade union time credit granted to it from among its representatives active in the establishment.
If the appointment of a staff member is incompatible with the proper functioning of the service, the head of establishment shall invite the trade union organization, after giving notice of the CAP: titleContent, to choose another agent.
An incumbent official may be detached to a trade union to exercise a trade union mandate.
A hospital worker (civil servant or contract worker) may be made available a trade union to exercise a trade union mandate at national level.
Freedom of trade union organization
Representation of employees and guarantees of the exercise of the right to organize
Secondments and secondments to a trade union organization
Union meetings
Display and distribution of documents of union origin
Use of digital technologies and personal data
Leave and facilities granted to union representatives
Leave and facilities granted to staff
Service Public