A daily briefing on European HR, labour law and compliance developments for SME HR teams across the EU, UK, Switzerland and the Nordics.
Top story: France’s new supplementary birth leave is now in force
France’s new Supplementary Birth Leave (Congé Supplémentaire de Naissance) became available on 1 July 2026, giving each parent up to two months of additional leave following the birth or adoption of a child. Created by the Social Security Financing Act for 2026 and implemented through decrees published in May, the entitlement sits on top of existing maternity, paternity and adoption leave: it does not replace any current rights. Both parents may take the leave simultaneously or at different times, and each may choose one or two months, taken as a single block or split into two one-month periods. The leave must begin within nine months of the child’s birth or arrival in the household.
Compensation comes from the social security system, not the employer. Daily benefits are calculated similarly to maternity leave: 70% of net salary during the first month and 60% during the second, subject to the applicable social security ceiling. During the leave the employment contract is suspended, the employee may not take on other professional activity and is protected against dismissal except in cases of serious misconduct or circumstances unrelated to the leave. The period counts as effective working time for seniority, and the employee has a right to return to the same or an equivalent role.
Employees must notify their employer in writing with one month’s notice, or 15 days if the leave immediately follows paternity or adoption leave and starts within the month after the child’s birth. Employers cannot refuse the leave if statutory conditions are met. The scheme applies to children born or adopted on or after 1 January 2026; transitional rules allow parents of children born in the first half of 2026 to take the leave until 31 March 2027.
What to do: If you employ staff in France, update your leave policies, employee handbooks and HR workflows now. Brief line managers on the new entitlement, the notice requirements and the dismissal protections. Coordinate with your payroll provider on social security declarations, as the benefit is state-funded and does not affect employer payroll costs directly. Plan workforce cover for employees who will combine the new leave with existing maternity or paternity entitlements.
Also developing
UK: The government presented a finalised Code of Practice on trade union workplace access to Parliament on 6 July 2026, with implementing regulations taking effect from 30 October. Under the new regime, trade unions will have a statutory right to access workplaces physically and digitally for recruitment, organising and representation purposes. The right applies where the employer has more than 21 employees nationally. Employers will have 15 working days to respond to an access request and a further 25 days to reach an agreement with the union. If no agreement is reached, access is the default outcome, enforceable through the Central Arbitration Committee with penalties of up to £500,000. What to do: Employers with 21 or more staff in the UK should review their workplace access policies before 30 October. Designate a point of contact for union access requests, prepare a process for responding within the 15-day window and familiarise HR teams with the Code of Practice requirements.
EU: The Council of the EU and the European Parliament reached a provisional agreement on 23 June on the sixth revision of the Carcinogens, Mutagens and Reprotoxic Substances Directive (CMRD). The deal introduces new occupational exposure limits for cobalt compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), 1,4-dioxane and isoprene, and requires employers to provide regular breaks for workers wearing personal protective equipment. According to Commission estimates, the measures are expected to prevent around 1,700 cases of lung cancer and 19,000 other workplace illnesses over the next 40 years. Formal adoption by both institutions is still required before member states begin transposition. What to do: Employers in manufacturing, automotive, construction and chemical sectors should review their workplace substance exposure assessments against the forthcoming limits. The new PPE break requirement will also affect shift planning for roles requiring prolonged use of respiratory protection.
Norway: A statutory minimum wage for the automotive repair and services sector took effect on 15 June 2026, after the Tariff Board (Tariffnemnda) made the sector’s collective bargaining agreement generally applicable through the allmenngjøring process. The rates, ranging from NOK 208 to NOK 237 per hour depending on experience and skill level, now apply to all employers in the sector regardless of union membership. Covered activities include repair, servicing, maintenance, painting, bodywork, car care, tyre changes and tyre storage. What to do: Employers operating automotive workshops or service centres in Norway should verify that all employees are being paid at or above the new statutory minimums. The rates vary by years of experience and whether the worker is classified as skilled or unskilled, so a pay audit against the specific schedule is advisable.
On the radar
Belgium, 1 August notice period and cap (previously covered): From 1 August, a uniform one-week notice period applies during the first six months of employment for new indefinite-term contracts. The 52-week cap on employer notice periods for contracts entering force from 1 July is already live. One week to go.
UK, zero-hours contracts consultation (previously covered): The government consultation on reforms to zero-hours and similar contracts under the Employment Rights Act 2025 closes on 25 August 2026.
UK, right to work checks expansion: From 1 October 2026, the obligation to carry out right-to-work checks will extend beyond employees to a wider range of working arrangements.
EU Platform Workers Directive (previously covered): Member states must transpose by 2 December 2026.
Sources
- Transatlantic Law International: France, new supplementary birth leave comes into force on 1 July 2026
- Lockton Global: France introduces new government-paid birth leave and other social security changes
- activpayroll: France expands parental leave with new supplementary birth leave entitlement
- Lewis Silkin: Trade union access rights, new reforms confirmed (17 July 2026)
- Pinsent Masons: Code to regulate trade union workplace access finalised
- Addleshaw Goddard: Trade union right of access to the workplace, what employers need to know
- Council of the EU: Council and Parliament agree on measures to protect workers from exposure to hazardous substances (23 June 2026)
- Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority: Minimum wage sector rates
- DLA Piper: Nordic Employment Law Bulletin, July 2026
Europe HR Compliance Pulse is an informational summary of publicly reported legal and regulatory developments. It is not legal advice. Always confirm obligations for your specific situation and market with a qualified adviser.
