Home / Europe / France / Employment & Pensions

Employment & Pensions

The advent of the digital age and the simultaneous development of new economic models; the increased power of a collaborative dynamic leading to new management systems; the significant development of the work concept and the greater social responsibility of the company... These changes are profoundly altering the nature of labour and are defining a new relationship at the company, for both employees and management. What will tomorrow's company look like? Whether you are a medium-sized structure or an international group, you are now faced with this open question, eminently strategic, which brings with it obligations but also opportunities. In this increasingly complex and changing environment, expert assistance is required for all issues relating to labour and social protection law.

To face this new state of affairs, it is essential to manage the constraints and related risks as well as possible. How to assure the highest possible legal compliance of your company while optimising its flexibility in terms of personnel? In a context of globalisation of trade and fierce competition, your growth is dependent on resolving this paradoxical equation. Apart from risk management, another challenge consists of converting these constraints into a lever for development. How to attract and retain staff with the new expectations? How to enhance your employer brand? The attractiveness of your company is more than ever dependent on the construction of a real social project, which involves building of loyalty and motivation. It is therefore a determining factor to face the operational and financial challenges involved in establishing a social policy.

With 30 years' experience and a sound reputation, our labour and social protection law department comprises 15 partners. Supported by 50 multi-disciplinary specialists, our lawyers can advise and assist with all current issues, both in France and abroad: joint and individual litigation, criminal labour law; duration and organisation of working hours; new forms of organisation of work; complex operations and company transfers; relations with staff representatives and collective negotiation; individual labour relations; pay, salary saving and employee share ownership; restructuring and job-saving schemes; pension and welfare, social security and URSSAF litigation; health, safety at work and psychosocial risks. Familiar with the business world and with detailed knowledge of the specific nature of each sector, our experts employ a pragmatic and durable approach closely in line with your objectives.

Quotes 2023

Chambers Europe

Employment

CMS houses a strong practice group drawing valuable multidisciplinary support from the firm's extensive network to advise on a range of employment matters. The team frequently assists with mass dismissals, remuneration disputes and social security issues, with additional expertise in M&A-related advice, including employee transfer. The department brings further experience in litigation and employment-related criminal law.

Legal 500 EMEA

Employment

CMS Francis Lefebvre advises SMEs and leading French and international companies, specialising in a wide range of industries, from the food industry to the industrial manufacturing sector. The practice has a broad range of expertise and is regularly retained to assist with the negotiation of new collective agreements; recent highlights include working on new working time organisation issues, remote working matters and post-M&A mandates. The team also frequently advises clients during M&A transactions and post-restructuring projects, and handles litigation as well as collective redundancy work. Key names in the practice include Laurent Marquet de Vasselot, Alain Herrmann, Pierre Bonneau, Caroline Froger-Michon and Guillaume Bossy.

Choose area

Complex transactions and transfers of undertakings
Increasing competitiveness, the transformation of work and the new ways in which it is done, the constantly-changing legal requirements in this area..
Duration and organisation of working time
Growing customer demands for businesses to be open longer and services to be more accessible, companies becoming increasingly international and trade
Health, safety and psychosocial risk
Sleep and concentration disorders, burnout, anxiety and depression, cardiovascular disease... Increasing numbers of employees are reporting that they
employment_pensions_businessman_conference_room-925
Individual and collective disputes, criminal employment law
Changes in working practices and forms of employment, massive transformations in our relationship with work, high levels of stress amongst employees a
dispute_resolution_fireman_hats_-925
Individual employment relationships
Transformation, digitalisation, globalisation... While the pace of change quickens in the corporate world, attention is focused on a company’s h
New working styles
Teleworking, remote working, mobile working, multi-jobbing... Driven by the technological revolution, new ways of working gradually gain ground. Benef
Pay, employee savings and employee shareholding schemes
Simplifying employee savings schemes, setting up group retirement savings plans (plan d’épargne pour la retraite collectif, or PERCO), re
isherman_river-925
Pensions
At a time of escalating corporate social responsibility, basic pension and health insurance schemes are facing challenges that increase the need for s
man-standing-on-sailing-boat-at-sunrise-925
Relationships with employee representatives and collective bargaining
The option to merge employee representative bodies with majority agreement, extension of the scope of the unique employee representative body, a new s
Restructuring and EPP
In an economic climate that is increasingly competitive, globalised, fluid and complex, the survival and growth of a company depends on its ability to
Our Employment & Pensions Team

Feed

27/03/2024
LEGAL 500 EMEA 2024
The 2024 edition of the Legal 500 EMEA guide is out. We would particularly like to thank our clients for putting their trust in us! Our law firm’s rankings in France France 1 en Tier 1 : The Regions 7...
19/01/2024
CBAM: Just over a week to comply
As the deadline for the first Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) report approaches on January 31st, it is crucial for undertakings engaged in importing relevant goods into the European Union to...
01/01/2024
Happy new year 2024!
We wish you all the best for the New Year. In 2024, we will continue to be guided by out values: commitment, excellence, team spirit and goodwill. Watch our wishes for a happy and prosperous New Year...
17/10/2023
Remote Working Legislation, Laws & Regulations in France
1. Is there any legislation relating to working from home in your country? Yes. Since 2017, work from home is regulated by the Labour Code (Articles 1222-9 et seq.).  Furthermore, we also refer to case...
Comparable
16/08/2023
Whistleblower protection and reporting channels in France
1. Is there a law on whistleblowing in your country? A legal framework for whistleblowing already exists in France, which includes the following:A law enacted on 9 December 2016, enforceable since 1...
Comparable
01/08/2023
Dismissals and Termination of Employment in France
1. Dismissal of employees 1.1 Reasons for dismissal The employer must establish a real and serious reason to dismiss an employee. It may be:a personal reason, notably a fault (disciplinary ground), poor...
Comparable
28/06/2023
Cost-cutting and restructuring in times of crisis
A tough global economic outlook is driving many employers to review their operational costs. Across businesses, hard questions are being asked about where efficiencies can be made – and ultimately what...
25/05/2023
North Sea Strikes and Force Majeure
The latest in a series of strikes by oil & gas workers in the North Sea continues to test the operation and efficacy of force majeure (“FM”) provisions in oil and gas industry contracts.There is no...
13/04/2023
LEGAL 500 EMEA 2023
The 2023 edition of the Legal 500 EMEA guide is out. We would particularly like to thank our clients for putting their trust in us! Our law firm’s rankings in France France 2 in Tier 1 : Derivatives...
16/03/2023
Chambers Europe 2023
The 2023 edition of Chambers & Partners Europe guide has been published. We would particularly like to thank our clients for putting their trust in us! Our firm’s rankings Banking & Finance: Financial...
15/03/2023
Offshore wind turbines
Considering the energy crisis emergency deriving from the war in Ukraine and its impacts on the supply networks of fossil energy products, oil and natural gas, Europe has no choice but to diversify its...
14/03/2023
Chambers Europe 2024
The 2024 edition of Chambers & Partners Europe guide has been published. We would particularly like to thank our clients for putting their trust in us! Our firm’s rankings Banking & Finance: Financial...