Violence in the workplace: A new bill relating namely to sexual and sexist violence in the workplace is being debated

A draft law on sexual and gender-based violence in society, including specific workplace obligations, was registered with the French Parliament on 11 August 2026.

It specifically provides for sexual harassment and sexist behaviour to be treated as a specific subject in companies’ single document for the assessment of occupational risks (DUERP) and for this subject to be part of mandatory collective bargaining. It also lowers the threshold for companies to have to nominate a dedicated contact person from 350 to 50.

Other measures include the obligation to carry out internal investigations in case of a complaint according to a strictly defined methodology, including the obligation for both parties to receive a copy of the investigation report, and the victims’ right to 10 days’ paid leave for administrative purposes.

Finally, the draft law provides for a penalty of up to 1% of the company’s payroll in case of non‑compliance.

Key Action Points for Human Resources and In-house Counsel

Review your sexual harassment and sexist behaviour prevention plan to confirm you have the necessary contact persons designated and training in place.