Practice Areas

Employment and Social Security Law

Back To Expertises

Technical and pragmatic advice on human resources

Our 35 specialists advise a range of French and international companies, from SMEs to major corporations, on all matters related to Employment and Social Security Law.

We stay up-to-date with changing regulations and understand your business needs. We help clients define and implement their HR strategies with precision.

We also assist in managing risks and provide guidance for complex cases, such as reorganization projects, collective dismissal procedures, strikes, and in the context of collective proceedings. 

Interventions

Collective Labor Relations

Understanding the way in which  employer/employee relationships are governed through a range of specific agreements is essential. We help you navigate this changing landscape by advising on: 

  • The functioning of the Social and Economic Committee (CSE), 
  • Management of employee representatives, 
  • Mandatory working hours, 
  • Salary negotiations, training contracts, mobility agreements, job retention agreements, etc. 
  • Management of collective actions, 
  • Disputes related to collective agreements. 

Individual and Collective Litigation

We handle all types of employment law litigation: strikes, allegations of harassment, accidents in the workplace, collective or individual conflicts, administrative, criminal, and civil litigation related to hidden labor practices. 

We work with you to define a judicial or pre-litigation strategy, and represent you before all relevant jurisdictions.  

Restructuring Management

Successfully restructuring a company requires rigorous planning and execution. We provide a secure and successful pathway for your business.  

From activity transfers to layoffs, our team ensures that the project submitted to the CSE is well-documented to address all potential objections, and carefully communicated to employees and allstakeholders including unions’ leaders.  

Mergers and acquisitions

We help buyers and sellers analyze all the employment law implications that need to be considered in an M&A context.  

Our proven methodology helps all parties reach optimal outcomes.  

Workplace Health and Safety

Within employment law, workplace health and safety is paramount. All physical and psychological risks must be identified and managed.

As more and more emphasis is placed upon these risks, the financial stakes are significant for employers if found at fault. To mitigate this, we help clients improve preventative measures, including through risk mapping, and advice on prevention plans. 

Individual Labor Relations

We work with companies on all aspects of individual labor relations. Our cross-functional approach includes: 

  • Protection of fundamental freedoms 
  • Accommodation of religious practices 
  • Monitoring of employees (cyber, video) 
  • Protection of union activity 
  • Employee use of social media 

Compensation, Employee Savings, and Equity Ownership

Our team can help companies define their compensation policy. We offer guidance on various tools, including bonus and variable compensation mechanisms, profit-sharing, stock-options, free share awards, BSPCE, and retirement and savings plans.  

Our services aim to align the compensation policy with the company's objectives and values, including its social responsibility, to improve staff retention. 

Social Security and Welfare Law

Providing adequate social security coverage is a fundamental part of a company's strategy. We help you design and implement your social security coverage in compliance with the law.  

Through regular audits, we also ensure that internal practices are adhered to. 

Ethics

Drawing on our cross-functional expertise between labor law and our Business and Human Rights' offering, we are called upon by companies in the context of their CSR strategy and in drafting the terms of their internal ethics policy. 

Status and Compensation of Executives

We advise on all aspects related to the status and compensation of executives, including: 

    • Negotiation of status, compensation and termination clauses 
    • Advice on the possibility of combining executive and employee status 
    • Compensation policies subject to general meetings, such as say on pay 
    • Termination and potential litigation 

Organizational Changes

To help clients optimize the way they are organized, we review working time arrangements, and help implement internal mobility schemes. 

Rewards

Highly regarded team covering a wide range of employment mandates. Highly skilled in assisting both French and international clients, including CAC 40 companies, with employee litigation, company reorganisations and collective redundancy plans. Demonstrates additional expertise dealing with matters concerning workplace discrimination and internal investigations. Further experience in bonus-related disputes and issues surrounding foreign secondment.

Who’s Who Legal Global/France

Legal 500 EMEA/Paris

Employment

Tier 1/4

Legal 500 EMEA/Paris

Emmanuelle Barbara

Hall of fame

Legal 500 EMEA/Paris

Marie-Hélène Bensadoun

Leading individual

Legal 500 EMEA/Paris

Diane Reboursier

Rising star

Legal 500 EMEA/Paris

Isabelle Hadoux-Vallier

Rising star

Legal 500 EMEA/Paris

Social security : Compensation and Benefits

Tier 2/2

“Highly regarded team covering a wide range of employment mandates. Highly skilled in assisting both French and international clients, including CAC 40 companies, with employee litigation, company reorganisations and collective redundancy plans. Demonstrates additional expertise dealing with matters concerning workplace discrimination and internal investigations. Further experience in bonus-related disputes and issues surrounding foreign secondment."

"One client lauds the responsiveness and business orientation of the team, highlighting its "speed in understanding needs and risks," while remaining "always reachable and able to meet any need.""

Chambers and partners Europe 2023

Employment law

Band 1

Chambers and partners Europe 2023

Emmanuelle Barbara

Band 1

Chambers and partners Europe 2023

Marie-Hélène Bensadoun

Band 3

Chambers and partners Europe 2023

Virginie Devos

Band 4

Chambers and partners Europe 2023

Fabienne Haas

BAND 5

Décideurs stratégie finance droit

Additional social protection

Excellent

Décideurs stratégie finance droit

Collective and individual remuneration

Excellent

Décideurs stratégie finance droit

High-risk litigation and criminal labor law

Leading

Décideurs stratégie finance droit

Collective bargaining and social relations

Leading

Décideurs stratégie finance droit

Restructuring, redundancy plans and related collective litigation

Leading

Décideurs stratégie finance droit

Representation of senior executives

Highly recommended

• Emmanuelle Barbara
• Fabienne Haas
• Philippe Durand
• Marie-Hélène Bensadoun
• Virginie Devos
• Catherine Le Manchec
• Eric Manca
• Mary Daphné Fishelson
• Isabelle Hadoux-Vallier

Option Droit & Affaires

Redundancy plans and insolvency litigation

Tier 1/5

Who's Who Legal Global/France

Emmanuelle Barbara

Labour & Employment

Who's Who Legal Global/France

Fabienne Haas

Labour & Employment

Who's Who Legal Global/France

Philippe Durand

Labour & Employment ; Pensions & Benefits (global)

Who's Who Legal Global/France

Marie-Hélène Bensadoun

Labour & Employment

Who's Who Legal Global/France

Mary-Daphné Fishelson

Labour & Employment