Off sick: telling your employer
What do I do when I am ill, and am I protected?
What the law says
- Tell your employer the same day, yourself or through someone else, orally or in writing (Art. L. 121-6).
- Hand in a medical certificate by the third day of absence at the latest (Art. L. 121-6).
- Once told, the employer cannot dismiss you, not even for serious misconduct, for up to 26 weeks from the start of the illness (Art. L. 121-6).
- Your pay continues until the end of the month in which the 77th day of incapacity falls, within an 18-month period (Art. L. 121-6).
Watch out for
- The protection starts as soon as the employer has been told or has the certificate; with neither, it does not apply (Art. L. 121-6).
- If the national health fund (CNS) refuses the incapacity, continued pay stops (Art. L. 121-6).
Who can help
Official source : Code du travail (version du 26.7.2026) · Checked on 21.10.2026