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Seasonal employment: what you need to know

24 July 2023 · 5 min reading time
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Droit du Travail
Seasonal employment: what you need to know
Whether you are an employee or a company, your professional activity may be punctuated by seasonality. The change of seasons, school holidays, and the festive period are elements that can rhythm your activity throughout the year. What are the specificities of seasonal employment? Staffmatch explains everything!

What is Seasonal Work?

Seasonal employment, according to the definition of the Ministry of Labor, is defined as the execution of tasks that are repeated each year according to the rhythm of the seasons or collective lifestyles.
All sectors of activity can be affected by seasonality, although some are more concerned than others.
On the podium, we notably find:
🌱 Agriculture 🔍 Tourism 🍽️ Hospitality and catering 🛍️ Sales and retailing 🛒 Distribution

The Contract

✒️The seasonal employment contract must imperatively mention certain mandatory information such as:
  • The employee's position and mission
  • The minimum duration of the activity
  • The duration of the probationary period
  • The remuneration
However, the seasonal contract does not necessarily specify a precise end date.
🚀 Did you know that:
Usually, the fixed-term contract (CDD) is the most commonly used type of contract for seasonal jobs, but other types of contracts are possible for your seasonal recruitment. Recruiting temporary workers (intérim) offers you more advantages and frees you from administrative tasks and the recruitment process, which can slow down your company's productivity.

The Duration

The seasonal contract cannot exceed 8 months. However, a renewal clause is possible, allowing the same employee to be hired from one season to the next.
For seasonal employment, the probationary period is set at one day per week for an assignment of less than 6 months. For assignments of more than 6 months, the probationary period can last up to one month.
As provided by law, the seasonal employment contract provides for 35 hours of work per week and can be extended up to 48 hours per week in case of justified need. The mandatory rest period is set at 11 hours between two working days.
Overtime hours are increased by 25% for the first 8 hours. If overtime hours are equal to or greater than 9 hours, they are increased to 50%.
☝️Good to know: It is forbidden by law to work more than 40 overtime hours per week for an employee.

The Specificities

Unlike the classic temporary work contract, the seasonal contract does not entail the payment of the end-of-assignment indemnity (IFM).
However, the employee is always entitled to the paid leave indemnity (ICP), corresponding to 10% of the gross salary and which is paid at the end of the contract!

The Remuneration

The remuneration for a seasonal contract is based on an hourly rate. The salary cannot be lower than the minimum wage (SMIC) set on May 1, 2023 (except for exceptions), which is €11.52 gross per hour.
Exceptions: - Employee under 16 years old: 80% of the hourly SMIC - Employee between 17 and 18 years old: 90% of the hourly SMIC
For all your seasonal or temporary recruitment or job search needs, think of Staffmatch, connected temporary work! 🚀

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Constanza Izeta
Constanza IzetaContent Manager
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