Sick leave pay in France: IJSS, waiting days and employer top-up
When you are off sick in France, part of your pay comes from the health insurance (Assurance maladie), part from your employer. Here is who pays what, from which day, and how to read it on your bulletin de paie.
Updated on 9 November 2026
First: send your sick note within 48 hours
Your doctor issues a sick note (arrêt de travail). Send the relevant parts to your health insurance fund (CPAM) and to your employer within 48 hours. Without it, you may lose your allowances. Details on service-public.gouv.fr.
Who pays, day by day
| Period | Paid by | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Days 1 to 3 | Nobody (unless your agreement says so) | 0 |
| From day 4 | Health insurance (IJSS) | 50% of daily base salary, capped |
| Days 8 to 37 | Employer, on top of IJSS | Up to 90% of gross pay |
| Next 30 days | Employer, on top of IJSS | Up to 66.66% of gross pay |
The employer top-up periods grow by 10 days per 5 years of service, up to 90 days each (articles L1226-1 and D1226-1 of the Labour Code).
How IJSS are calculated
Your daily base salary is your last 3 months of gross salary divided by 91.25. The salary taken into account is capped at 1.4 times the SMIC. Current figures are on service-public.gouv.fr.
Example
Gross salary €2,000 a month, 10 days off sick. Rounded amounts.
Daily base: 2,000 × 3 ÷ 91.25 = €65.75 IJSS per day: 65.75 × 50% = €32.88 Days 4 to 10: 7 × 32.88 = €230.16
On your payslip
Your employer deducts the absence (absence maladie), then adds back the top-up (maintien de salaire or complément employeur). If your employer receives the IJSS in your place (subrogation), they appear as a deduction after net pay. That is why a sick month can look odd, or even negative: see salaire arrêt maladie (in French).
Key points
- 3 waiting days without IJSS, then 50% of your daily base salary.
- After 1 year of service, your employer tops up to 90% from day 8.
- Check your collective agreement: many pay from day 1.
Check your French payslip in seconds
PaieVerif reads your French payslip (bulletin de paie), compares it with the official rates and shows you what to double-check. Free, no account, your payslip stays on your phone. The app is in French.
Frequently asked questions
Is sick leave paid in France?
Yes, after 3 waiting days the health insurance pays daily allowances (IJSS) at 50% of your daily base salary. After 1 year of service, your employer tops this up to 90% from day 8.
How many sick days do you get in France?
There is no fixed number of sick days: you are paid for as long as your doctor signs you off, within the limits of the health insurance rules.
Read next
- French payslip explained: how to read your bulletin de paie
- Paid holidays in France (congés payés): 5 weeks, how they are paid
- French payslip glossary: French–English translation of every term
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This guide gives general information about French employment law. It is not legal advice: your collective agreement (convention collective) or contract may give you more. If in doubt, ask your payroll department, an employee representative, the labour inspectorate or a lawyer.