FRANCE – Employers Subject to Unexpected Inspections by Labor Authorities
Employers sending or hosting foreign workers in France are subject to increasing inspections by labor authorities. In an effort to enforce a decree passed in March of 2015 which requires employers to save extensive documentation of posted workers, French labor inspectors are performing unexpected inspections of companies to ensure compliance of labor laws.
The decree requires that sending companies appoint a legal representative in France to act as a liaison with the Labour Inspectorate. The company or legal representative must retain extensive documentation pertaining to posted workers and make it accessible during inspections. Such documentation includes work permits, employment and pay records, timesheets, medical certificates, proof of payment of wages, proof of compliance with social insurance laws and business records among other documents. Furthermore, French host companies must retain copies of work permits for non-EU nationals, detachment declaration and a document designating a legal representative for the company in France.
As FGI previously announced, companies found guilty of violating these labor laws are subject to administrative fines, potential jail time and suspension of their international service agreements.