At a glance
- A new bill proposes to authorise employees to participate in blood donations during working hours.
- If enacted, such legislation will implement strict safeguards to accommodate employers’ operational organisations.
On 4 June 2025, the French National Assembly adopted a bill designed to tackle persistent shortages in the national blood supply by permitting employees to donate blood during working hours.
This legislation is also part of a wider initiative to promote civic engagement in public health efforts, while maintaining a balance with the operational requirements of businesses.
If passed into law, the bill would add a new article to the French Public Health Code, granting employees the right to be absent from work up to eight times per calendar year for the purpose of donating blood. Employees would be required to provide their employer with at least three working days’ notice prior to each absence. These absences would be considered and paid as working time.
Employers would only be allowed to refuse such absences if they would cause significant disruption to business operations. They would also have the right to request a certificate of attendance from the French Blood Establishment, indicating the employee’s arrival and departure times.
The bill will next be reviewed by the Senate before it can be enacted into law.
More to explore
