In short:
- Remote work (télétravail) is set up by collective agreement, by an employer charter or, failing that, by simple agreement between the employer and the employee.
- The employer can refuse it. Reasons must be given when an agreement or charter exists and the job is compatible, or when the request comes from a disabled worker or an employee who is a carer.
- The employee can also refuse: this refusal is not a ground for ending the contract, except in exceptional circumstances that allow it to be imposed.
- Remote workers keep the same rights as other employees and have a yearly review of their working conditions and workload.
Remote work: three ways to set it up
Remote work can be organised in three ways, according to the Service-Public guide checked on 14 August 2026.
| Framework | How it works |
|---|---|
| Collective agreement | Remote work is negotiated and applies under the rules set by the agreement |
| Charter drawn up by the employer | The employer sets the rules in a company document |
| Agreement between employer and employee | Where there is no collective agreement or charter, they agree on remote work at any time and formalise it by any means |
In the third case, the agreement can take the form of a clause in the employment contract or an amendment. A written document remains preferable to avoid disputes.
What the collective agreement or charter must specify
- The conditions for switching to remote work and for returning to working without it.
- How the employee accepts the arrangement.
- How working time is monitored or workload is regulated.
- The time slots during which the employer can usually contact the employee.
- How disabled workers, pregnant employees and employees who are carers access remote work.
Consulting the CSE
In companies with more than 50 employees, the social and economic committee (CSE), where there is one, must be consulted before remote work is introduced.
Can the employer refuse remote work?
Yes, in some cases. The rule depends on the framework that applies in the company.
| Situation | Refusal possible? | Duty to give reasons |
|---|---|---|
| No collective agreement or charter | Yes | No, the employer can explain the refusal but is not required to |
| No agreement or charter, request from a disabled worker or an employee who is a carer | Yes | Yes, the employer must explain the reasons for the refusal |
| Collective agreement or charter, job compatible with remote work | Yes | Yes, the employer must explain the reasons for the answer |
An employee who is a carer is one who helps a child, a parent or a close relative.
Can the employee refuse remote work?
Yes. An employee can refuse to switch to remote work, and this refusal is not a ground for ending the employment contract.
There is one exception: in exceptional circumstances, such as the threat of an epidemic, or in a case of force majeure, remote work can be imposed without the employee’s agreement.
Where and how often?
Places
The employee can work in any place defined by the collective agreement or the charter, or authorised by the employer:
- at home;
- in a telecentre or shared office;
- any other place, for employees who travel a great deal.
Frequency
- Regular remote work: it follows a fixed pattern, for example 1 to 2 days a week.
- Occasional remote work: it covers for example a few days or a few weeks a year.
The frequency is specified by the collective agreement or the charter, or failing that by the agreement between the employer and the employee.
The employer’s duties towards remote workers
- Equipment: when remote work is carried out at home, the employer provides, installs and maintains the necessary equipment, provided the electrical installations and the premises are compliant. If the employee exceptionally uses their own equipment, the employer adapts and maintains it.
- Health and safety: remote work can be covered by a risk assessment, in particular for risks linked to distance from the work community and to the use of digital tools. It is recorded in the single occupational risk assessment document (DUERP).
- Data protection: the employer must protect the data used by its employees, whether the remote worker uses the company’s equipment or their own. This ties in with the rules on HR software and personal data.
- Information: the employer informs the employee of any restriction on the use of equipment and of the penalties for non-compliance.
- Workload: workload, production standards and performance criteria must be equivalent to those of employees working on the premises. They must make it possible to comply with maximum working hours and rest periods.
- Priority to return: the remote worker has priority to take or return to a job without remote work that matches their qualifications, and the employer must inform them of any such job.
The remote worker’s yearly review
Every year the employer holds a review covering in particular the employee’s working conditions and workload. This review is separate from the appraisal and from the career path review.
The rights of remote workers
A remote worker remains an employee of the company and has the same individual and collective rights as the others:
- the right to training and the same career development opportunities;
- respect for private life;
- health and safety at work;
- access to social activities, trade union information and benefits, for example meal vouchers.
An employee who works remotely on a regular basis also receives training focused on the equipment provided and on the features of this way of working.
Workplace accidents
An accident that occurs at the place where remote work is carried out, during professional activity, is presumed to be a workplace accident. The steps to take are the same as for other employees.
The employee’s duties
A remote worker has the same duties as any other employee, and must follow the employer’s instructions and the terms of the collective agreement, the charter or the employment contract.
Three practical situations
- A company with no agreement or charter: an employee asks for two days of remote work a week. The employer can refuse without having to justify it. If the employer accepts, a simple written exchange is enough to formalise the agreement.
- A company with a charter: an employee whose job is compatible asks to benefit from it. The employer can refuse, but must explain the reasons for the answer.
- A request from an employee who is a carer: even with no agreement or charter in the company, an employer who refuses must explain the reasons for the refusal.
Ending remote work
The employer and the employee can agree to end remote work and organise the return to the premises. The collective agreement or the charter can set specific conditions for the return, including the formalities for ending it without the other party’s agreement.
Points for employers to secure
- Check whether a collective agreement or a charter exists: the answer changes the duty to give reasons for a refusal.
- Put the individual agreement in writing, even though the law does not require it.
- Set the contact time slots, which ties in with the right-to-disconnect issues addressed in a QVCT (quality of life and working conditions) approach.
- Schedule the yearly review of working conditions and workload.
- Give reasons for any refusal made to a disabled worker or an employee who is a carer.
Frequently asked questions
Can an employer refuse remote work in France?
Yes, in some cases. Where there is no collective agreement or charter, the employer can refuse remote work without having to explain the refusal, unless the request comes from a disabled worker or an employee who is a carer: reasons must then be given. When remote work is organised by a collective agreement or a charter, an employer refusing it to an employee whose job allows it must explain the reasons.
Can an employee refuse to work remotely?
Yes. An employee can refuse to switch to remote work, and this refusal is not a ground for ending the employment contract. In exceptional circumstances, for example the threat of an epidemic, or in a case of force majeure, remote work can however be imposed without the employee’s agreement.
Must the employer provide equipment for remote work?
When remote work is carried out at home, the employer must provide, install and maintain the necessary equipment, provided the electrical installations and the workplace are compliant. If the employee exceptionally uses their own equipment, the employer adapts and maintains it.
Is an accident during remote work a workplace accident?
An accident that occurs at the place where remote work is carried out, during the employee’s professional activity, is presumed to be a workplace accident. The steps to take are the same as for the company’s other employees.
Sources
- Service-Public, Télétravail du salarié dans le secteur privé, guide checked on 14 August 2026, consulted on 9 October 2026.