Temporary agency work assignments can be renewed twice, instead of once only, providing the total duration stays below the 18 month limit, according to a law published on 19 August this year.

Article 55 of the law on social dialogue and employment (n°2015-994) introduces the possibility to renew twice temporary agency work assignments (as well as fixed-term contracts contrat à durée déterminée, CDD), however the total duration of the tenure (including renewals) is to remain unchanged. 

Prior to this change, the French labour code would only allow for one single renewal, and an 18 month limit to the total duration of the assignment (renewal included), with some exceptions as detailed below. Any assignment ongoing at the date of publication of the law, as well as any assignment started after the 19 August 2015 can be renewed twice as long as the total duration of the tenure including renewals stays within the maximum duration.

In France the use of temporary agency workers (and the same applies to CDD’s) is limited to the following situations (Article L1251-6, Labour Code):

• Replacement of absent workers;
• To face a temporary surge in activity;
• Seasonal work, or sectors that don’t traditionally hire on a permanent basis;
• Replacement of a business owner.

Assignments are usually limited to 18 months (including renewals), but can last up to 24 months under the following circumstances (Labour Code, Article L1251-12):

• The temporary replacement of an employee whose role will no longer exist in the company;
• The end-user is faced with an order placed by a foreign customer, and the work requires ‘disproportionate means’ such as a much larger workforce, and/or skills that are not present in the company;
• The assignment is based abroad.