FRANCE | Internship: At work | Work conditions

Working hours and holidays

In France, people work 35 hours per week. The 35-hour work week was introduced to create more jobs. The normal working hours are between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. In case of executives and managers, i.e. employees holding positions of responsibility, they still work 40 hours per week and often spend even more time in the office. Your holidays should be included in the internship agreement.

Breaks at work

At work, the lunch hour is between 12 noon and 1 p.m. Many large companies have a canteen where they offer lunch, others at least have a small kitchen where meals can be prepared. In addition, it is normal for the employer to offer the employees a part of their salary in form of restaurant tickets. Thus, the employee receives a small booklet at the beginning of the month containing restaurant tickets for a specific amount equivalent to a part of the salary. The advantage is that this amount is exempt from tax (taxes do not have to be paid for this part of the salary) and the company has to bear less social charges on the salary.