France is putting a hard new limit on how long doctors can initially sign workers off the job, an overhaul aimed squarely at slowing the surge in government-paid sick leave benefits.
Under a decree published in the country’s official gazette, starting Sept. 1, 2026, an initial medical leave note can’t exceed 31 days. Any extension will be capped at 62 days, unless a clinician documents a health-based exception.
The change hits nearly everyone in the system: employees who rely on paid leave, employers who track absences and payroll, and clinicians who will now have to justify longer time off in writing.
What changes on Sept. 1, 2026: 31 days up front, 62 days for extensions
The rule is straightforward: beginning Sept. 1, 2026, the maximum length of a first-time sick leave prescription is 31 days. If the leave continues, the renewal period is capped at 62 days.
The limits apply to leave notes written or renewed on or after that date, meaning doctors’ offices and HR departments will need to adjust their calendars and workflows around the new deadlines.
The policy covers all health professionals authorized to prescribe time off work in France, including physicians, midwives, and dentists. That matters because sick leave isn’t just a primary-care issue; it can come from pregnancy complications managed by a midwife or a major dental procedure with setbacks.
Exceptions are allowed, but doctors will have to spell them out
The decree builds in flexibility: if a patient’s condition genuinely requires a longer initial leave, clinicians can go beyond 31 days. But they must state the reason on the official leave form, potentially referencing existing medical guidelines.
In practice, that could mean fewer “set it and forget it” long leave notes and more detailed clinical documentation for cases like complicated surgeries or unpredictable recoveries.
Until now, France didn’t have a broad, across-the-board maximum duration for a sick leave prescription, even though there were recommended timeframes by condition. This new cap doesn’t erase existing rules, it adds another layer.
Why France is doing this: sick leave costs are climbing fast
France’s national health insurance system, part of the country’s Social Security model, pays daily cash benefits to eligible workers on medical leave. The government says the growth in those payments has become difficult to sustain for public finances and, indirectly, for employers.
Officials are targeting long absences in particular. The article cites an internal imbalance often raised in policy debates: long-term leaves account for about 45% of total spending while representing roughly 7% of all leave cases.
The bet is that earlier caps will force more medical “checkpoints,” creating more opportunities to reassess whether someone can return to work, shift to modified duties, or move into another support program.
What workers get paid, and what the cap doesn’t change
The new limits don’t directly change how France calculates the daily benefit. In 2026, the maximum daily sick leave benefit is set at €41.95 gross, about $46 a day at a rough €1 = $1.10 conversion.
France also has a waiting period: for a typical sick leave, the first three days aren’t compensated by the national health insurer (with exceptions in certain situations). The new decree doesn’t alter that, but it could increase how often workers must renew paperwork to keep benefits flowing.
More appointments, more paperwork, and pressure on an already strained system
For clinicians, the cap changes a common habit: writing a longer initial leave to spare a recovering patient from coming back too soon. Starting in 2026, anything beyond 31 days up front will require a documented exception.
That could mean more follow-up visits or telehealth check-ins. But France already restricts telehealth sick notes in some cases: if the teleconsultation isn’t with the patient’s regular doctor, the leave can be limited to three days, pushing more people toward in-person appointments in areas where access is already tight.
The administrative burden has also been rising. France began requiring a more secure standardized sick leave form as of Sept. 1, 2025, and the new caps will need to be integrated into medical software to prevent errors.
Employers and HR teams brace for more renewals, and more friction
For employees, the biggest change may be logistical. A long absence will more often become a 31-day initial leave followed by renewals, more forms, more deadlines, more chances for delays.
For employers, especially HR and payroll teams, the cap could mean more frequent back-and-forth among the worker, the clinician, and the national health insurer. In some workplaces, employers also “top up” pay beyond the government benefit under collective agreements, and more segmented leave periods can make day-by-day calculations more complex.
There’s also a human factor: policies designed to curb spending can feel like blanket suspicion. For workers dealing with burnout or long rehabilitation, repeated renewals may feel like constant scrutiny, especially if it’s hard to get a timely appointment, raising the risk of benefit interruptions due to paperwork delays rather than medical recovery.
How this stacks with other limits, including workplace injuries
The new prescription caps sit on top of existing benefit limits. For a standard illness leave, France already limits daily benefit payments to 360 days over a rolling three-year period.
Other categories, such as long-term serious conditions recognized by the system, can follow different, often longer, rules. That complexity can confuse workers, especially when the medical reason for leave and the insurance category don’t neatly match.
A separate decree published the same day adds another major cap: starting in 2027, daily benefits for workplace accidents or occupational illnesses will be limited to a maximum of four years. That’s a significant shift for cases involving permanent injuries, retraining, and repeated medical evaluations.
On paper, France’s new approach creates more structured “steps” for long absences. Whether it actually saves money without disrupting care will depend on something far less tidy: whether the health system can absorb more follow-up visits, and whether employers and occupational health services can turn those checkpoints into real return-to-work plans.
Key Takeaways
- Starting September 1, 2026, an initial leave will be capped at 31 days, then 62 days for an extension.
- Exceptions will still be possible if the person’s health condition justifies it, with the reason to be stated on the notice.
- The reform aims to curb the rise in daily benefits, especially for long leaves.
- Doctors, employees, and HR will have to manage more deadlines and renewal paperwork.
- Another decree sets the maximum duration of daily benefits for a work-related injury or occupational illness at 4 years starting in 2027.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the cap on sick leave durations take effect?
It applies to sick leave prescribed and renewed starting September 1, 2026, according to the decree published in the Official Journal.
What maximum durations are set by the decree?
The cap is set at 31 days for an initial prescription and 62 days for an extension, unless an exception applies based on the patient’s health condition.
Who is affected by these prescription caps?
All healthcare professionals authorized to prescribe sick leave are affected, including physicians, midwives, and dentists.
Can the first sick leave be longer than 31 days?
Yes. The cap is not absolute. A longer leave can be prescribed if the patient’s health condition justifies it, provided the reason is stated on the sick leave form, relying on medical guidelines if needed.
Does this cap replace existing benefit rules?
No. These prescription caps are in addition to existing rules, including the cap of 360 days of daily cash benefits over three years for standard sick leave, as well as other arrangements depending on the situation.
Sources
- La durée des arrêts de travail sera limitée à partir du 1er septembre, voici ce qu’il faut savoir
- Un projet de décret fixe le plafonnement de la durée maximale des arrêts de travail à compter du 1er septembre 2026
- Arrêts maladie : un projet de décret fixe la durée maximale à partir du 1er septembre 2026 – Previssima
- Durée maximale d’un mois pour les arrêts de travail à partir du 1er septembre 2026 – Fédération Française des Clubs Omnisports
- Limitation de la durée initiale des arrêts de travail : impacts pour les RH – Staff & Go
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