The Ministry of Public Service will present on Tuesday, January 27, its initial reform tracks on paid special leave authorizations for public agents, related to parenthood and family events. This move responds to a Council of State injunction from December 10, 2025, requiring a decree within six months under the 2019 public service transformation law. Unions are already denouncing a potential reduction in rights regarding child care.
The French government is progressing on a reform awaited for over six years regarding public servants' paid leave authorizations. These remunerated absences, granted for family or parental reasons, are the subject of a decree that the Ministry of Public Service must finalize. On December 10, 2025, the Council of State ordered the executive to publish this text within six months, in accordance with the 2019 public service transformation law.
This law had provided for a decree to define a common list of these authorizations, to address disparities between administrations. Until now, the granting of these leaves has largely been at the discretion of public services, leading to heterogeneous practices. To justify the delay, the State cited the need for an 'in-depth dialogue' with unions, as well as the disruptions caused by the Covid-19 crisis on negotiations. These explanations did not convince the Council of State, located at the Palais-Royal.
The presentation of the work tracks, scheduled for January 27, is expected to fuel heated debates. Unions, as reported by Le Monde, are denouncing a reduction in rights, especially concerning child care. This reform aims to standardize rules at the national level but risks sparking tensions with public agents' representatives.
