Employment law · French law
French time savings account: use or transfer your rights
Informational guide. An independent qualified legal review has not been completed.
A time savings account, where established by agreement, can hold rights originating in leave, rest or remuneration. Its use and transfer depend on that agreement and statutory rules. Annual leave placed in the account cannot all be converted to pay in the same way. Identify the rights' origin, intended use and applicable provisions before requesting payment or transfer.
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Must every employer establish a time savings account?
No. A CET is established by collective agreement within its framework. Find the text before assuming rights exist.
Read the references3 free questions at signup. Avoid names and sensitive information.
What you leave withA record of rights' origins and agreement clauses to check before choosing a request.
Start with the practical sectionWhere do your time savings rights come from?
Separate rights by origin on the time savings account statement. Annual leave, RTT and monetary allocations do not automatically permit the same uses. Find the agreement establishing the CET and its contribution rules; not every company must have this arrangement.
| Origin | Record to reconcile | Question |
|---|---|---|
| Annual leave | Balance and allocated days | Which portion exceeds statutory thresholds? |
| RTT or rest | Agreement and statement | Which uses are allowed? |
| Money | Allocation and agreement | Which conversion or exit conditions? |
References : Code du travail : L3151-2 · Code du travail : L3151-3 · Service Public : Compte épargne-temps : utiliser ou transférer les droits
Which uses does the agreement permit?
The agreement governs CET uses. L3151-3 provides, on request and with employer agreement, for a wage supplement or progressive cessation of activity within its framework. A balance alone does not authorise leave on any chosen date.
References : Code du travail : L3151-3 · Service Public : Compte épargne-temps : utiliser ou transférer les droits
How can you organise a request without converting every day to cash?
The builder retains origin, proposed use and whether the agreement has been read. It prepares tailored questions without converting days to euros. For mixed origins, prepare separate sheets: a single total can conceal annual-leave restrictions.
References : Code du travail : L3151-2 · Code du travail : L3151-3
Why does the fifth week of leave need a separate check?
L3151-2 permits allocating annual leave above 24 working days. L3151-3 permits using annual-leave rights for a wage supplement only for days above 30 working days. Placing the fifth week in a CET does not therefore make it freely convertible to cash.
Fictional example: a statement separates five RTT days from five days of the fifth leave week. The sheet does not give both categories the same cash-conversion treatment and requests the agreement and statutory checks.
References : Code du travail : L3151-2 · Code du travail : L3151-3
What happens to the account when employment ends?
On changing employers, find the agreement’s transfer provisions. Without such provisions, L3153-2 includes compensation or, with employer agreement, deposit under the statutory framework. A new employer does not automatically have to take over the same account.
References : Code du travail : L3153-2
Which documents should you reconcile with the rights statement?
Keep the agreement, detailed statement, origins and exchanges about use or departure. Request an exit breakdown before confirming an option. Julie can help reconcile clauses and balances; it does not set a universal monetary value for a CET day.
- Agreement and relevant use or transfer clause.
- Statement separating days and money by origin.
- Request, response and proposed exit breakdown.
References : Code du travail : L3151-2 · Code du travail : L3151-3 · Code du travail : L3153-2 · Service Public : Compte épargne-temps : utiliser ou transférer les droits
What else should you check?
Must every employer establish a time savings account?
No. A CET is established by collective agreement within its framework. Find the text before assuming rights exist.
Must an employee contribute to it?
Contributions follow the applicable arrangement and employee choice within its conditions. Do not assume all leave must be placed there.
Is the fifth week automatically convertible to pay?
No. Allocation and remuneration use have different thresholds. The fifth week does not automatically become cash payable through the CET.
Must a new employer accept all the rights?
No. Check transfer provisions and applicable exit options; takeover is not an automatic consequence of new employment.
What does depositing rights with the Caisse des dépôts mean?
It preserves monetary rights under the statutory framework, including where transfer provisions are absent and the relevant conditions are met. It is not automatic transfer to the next employer.
Which sources support this page?
Official texts remain in French. The explanations above describe French law. A source check records a reading date; it is not qualified legal review.
- Code du travail : L3151-2Source checked : · Version from 2016-08-10
- Code du travail : L3151-3Source checked : · Version from 2016-08-10
- Code du travail : L3153-2Source checked : · Version from 2016-08-10
- Service Public : Compte épargne-temps : utiliser ou transférer les droitsSource checked :