Despite euworkers.fr higher labour protection and perks than workers in many other advanced economies, salaried employees in france are not immune to the erosion of the post-war employment model. In fact, the trend has been accelerating since the 1980s, as France Strategie has recently pointed out.

This phenomenon has major consequences. Temporary workers have less on-the-job training and are more likely to be the adjustment variable in the event of economic negative shocks. In addition, they often struggle to reconcile their professional lives with the demands of family life. They also tend to remain on short contracts for a long time, which can lead to a loss of motivation.

Temporary Work and Skills Development: Building a Career Path in France

The French system of temporary work consists of several types of contract. The contrat de travail temporaire (CTT) is a three-way contract between employer, employee and temping agency that lasts the duration of a specific task or project. It can be renewed twice. The contrat d’activité à durée déterminée (CDD) is only used for certain jobs, such as replacing a worker on leave (maternity, paternity or sick leaves); to cover a peak in activity; to carry out a specific project. A CDD inclusif was created for people with social and professional difficulties, but it is only offered by a few structures specialised in helping them.

The CDT or the CDD include a fixed-period contract of between 18 and 36 months. It can be renewed twice and is accompanied by a minimum end-of-contract indemnity of 10% of the gross remuneration. This type of contract is often used in the public sector.