Outing times during sick leave: rules, checks and unrestricted outings
15 June 2026 · 4 min reading time
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During sick leave, going out is not always forbidden. It all depends on what the doctor has indicated on the sick leave certificate: authorized outings, unrestricted outings, or outings not authorized.
This mention determines the outing times to follow, but also the periods when the employee must remain present at their place of rest in case of a check. A mistake can have consequences for daily sickness benefits, especially if the employee goes out outside the authorized times or cannot justify their absence.
Before planning any trip or outing, it is therefore important to check the rules written on the sick leave certificate and understand what they actually allow.
What the sick leave certificate actually allows
Outing rules are not based on how the employee feels. An employee may feel able to run an errand, accompany a relative, or go out for some fresh air, but it is the information written on the sick leave certificate that sets the rules.
Article R323-11-1 of the French Social Security Code provides for three possibilities: outings may be forbidden, authorized with mandatory presence at home from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., or unrestricted when the doctor provides a medical justification on the certificate. The doctor may also specify whether certain activities are authorized outside the home.
This is why two employees on sick leave for similar situations may not have the same outing rights. Everything depends on the medical prescription and on what is precisely stated on the sick leave certificate.
Authorized outing or unrestricted outing, the difference to know
An authorized outing does not mean the employee can go out at any time of the day. It allows them to leave their home, but requires them to remain present at their place of rest from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
An outing without time restrictions, also called an unrestricted outing, works differently. The employee is not subject to these two mandatory presence periods, but this freedom must be justified by the doctor on the sick leave certificate.
| Mention on the sick leave certificate | What it means |
|---|---|
| Outings not authorized | The employee must remain at home, except for medical care or examinations. |
| Authorized outings | The employee may go out, but must be present from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. |
| Unrestricted outings | The employee is not subject to fixed outing times, provided the doctor has given a medical justification. |
The hours when the employee must remain at home
When the sick leave certificate mentions authorized outings, the mandatory presence periods are fixed: 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the morning and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the afternoon. During these times, the employee must be at home or at the declared place of rest.
These hours correspond to the times when a sick leave check may take place. An absence may be justified if the employee is attending medical care, an examination, or a medical appointment related to their health condition. In that case, it is best to keep proof of the appointment.
Outside these time slots, outings are possible, but they must remain consistent with the sick leave. Being on sick leave does not necessarily prevent someone from going out, but it is still prescribed because their state of health does not allow them to work.
Weekend and Saturday checks, the same rules apply
Outing times do not follow the employee’s usual work schedule. When the sick leave certificate allows authorized outings with time restrictions, the employee must remain present at their place of rest from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., including on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays.
This is a common source of confusion, because many employees think in terms of working days. However, the obligations linked to sick leave apply throughout the entire compensated period, not only from Monday to Friday. The French Social Security system can therefore check an employee during any day covered by the sick leave, including weekends.
Going out on a Sunday or a Saturday at 3 p.m. can therefore be an issue if the employee was required to be at home at that time. However, an absence may still be justified if it corresponds to medical care, a medical examination, or an appointment related to the employee’s health condition.
Unrestricted outing, can the CPAM still carry out a check?
An unrestricted outing does not remove the possibility of a check. It simply means that the employee is not required to follow the fixed time slots of 9 a.m.–11 a.m. and 2 p.m.–4 p.m.
The CPAM can still verify that the sick leave is justified, that the medical prescriptions are being followed, and that the employee is not carrying out any unauthorized activity. Freedom to go out does not turn sick leave into a period without obligations.
The employee must also remain reachable and available for checks. If the sick leave certificate provides for unrestricted outings, the employer may request an employer-requested medical check-up when they pay salary maintenance or a salary supplement. For this check-up to be organized, the employee must provide the times when they can be checked.
Medical appointment during mandatory presence hours, proof to keep
A medical appointment is compatible with sick leave, even when it takes place during a mandatory presence period. Medical care, examinations, or consultations related to the employee’s health condition may justify an absence between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. or between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
The safest approach is to keep proof of the appointment: confirmation, prescription, medical summons, or proof of attendance. This is not always an automatic reflex, but this document can help avoid misunderstandings in the event of a check.
This precaution is especially useful when the appointment takes place during a time slot when the employee would normally have been required to stay at home.
Resting somewhere other than at home, the address to provide
An employee may rest somewhere other than at home during sick leave, but they must remain available for checks. If the place of rest changes, the address must be provided so that the French Health Insurance or the employer can organize a check if necessary.
This may apply to staying with a relative, recovering in another residence, or temporary accommodation that is better suited to the employee’s health condition. The point is therefore not to forbid all travel, but to prevent the employee from becoming unreachable during their sick leave.
Article R1226-10 of the French Labor Code provides that the employee must inform the employer of their place of rest when it is different from their home address. In the case of unrestricted outings, the employee must also indicate the times when an employer-requested medical check-up can be organized.
Spending a few days elsewhere during sick leave, precautions to take
Sick leave is not a period of holiday leave. Spending a few days elsewhere therefore requires checking several points: the mention written on the sick leave certificate, whether the stay is compatible with the employee’s health condition, the declared place of rest, and the rules around checks.
For a stay in France, the employee must be available for checks at the address provided. If the employee stays at an address other than their usual home, this place of rest must be communicated.
For travel abroad, even more caution is needed. Payment of daily sickness benefits may depend on the destination country and the rules applied by the French Health Insurance. Before leaving, it is best to contact the relevant health insurance fund to check which steps need to be taken.
Check by the French Health Insurance or the employer, what can happen
Sick leave may lead to a check. This check can be carried out by the French Health Insurance, but also by the employer when they request an employer-requested medical check-up, particularly if they pay a salary supplement.
The purpose of the check is not only to verify that the employee is present at their place of rest during the required hours. It may also concern compliance with the doctor’s prescriptions, the consistency between the sick leave and the employee’s health condition, or the absence of unauthorized activity.
The logic remains the same for unrestricted outings: the employee is not subject to fixed time slots, but they are still subject to the principle of checks. They must therefore make it possible for a visit to be organized under the required conditions.
Absence during a check, possible consequences
Going out outside the authorized outing times can have consequences, especially if a check takes place at the same time. The French Health Insurance may reduce, suspend, or recover daily sickness benefits when the employee does not comply with the obligations linked to their sick leave.
Article L323-6 of the French Social Security Code makes the payment of daily sickness benefits conditional on compliance with the doctor’s prescriptions, the checks organized by the medical service, the authorized outing times, and the absence of unauthorized activity. In the event of intentional non-compliance, the health insurance fund may request repayment of the benefits paid.
A one-off absence is not always assessed in the same way depending on the context. A medical appointment, examination, or treatment may justify going out during a time slot normally reserved for being present at home. Without proof, the situation can become more difficult.
On the employer’s side, an absence during an employer-requested medical check-up may also affect the salary supplement, depending on the rules applicable in the company.
Unauthorized activity during sick leave, where is the limit?
The risk does not only come from going out. It can also come from what the employee does during their sick leave.
A short walk, an essential errand, or a medical appointment are not viewed in the same way as a professional, sports, or personal activity that is clearly incompatible with the employee’s health condition. Sick leave requires compliance with the doctor’s prescriptions and prohibits any unauthorized activity.
The employer therefore cannot rely only on the fact that the employee went out. The circumstances must be considered: did the sick leave certificate allow outings? Was the employee required to be present at that time? Did they have proof? Was the activity carried out compatible with their health condition?
Before going out, the right reflexes
Before leaving home during sick leave, it is best to check three points: the mention written on the sick leave certificate, the authorized outing time, and the address where a check may be carried out.
If the outing corresponds to a medical appointment, proof may be useful. If the employee rests somewhere other than at home, the address must be communicated. And in the case of unrestricted outings, it must remain possible to organize an employer-requested medical check-up.
The goal is not to avoid every outing, but to stay within the framework set by the sick leave certificate. As long as the outing times, prescriptions, and checks are respected, an authorized outing should not create any particular difficulty.
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