New law strengthens career management for senior workers

At a glance

• A new law dated 24 October 2025 introduces obligations to strengthen employment and career management for senior workers.
• Employers must hold two career interviews: a mid-career review at around age 45 and a pre-retirement interview within two years before age 60.
• Measures include flexible working, progressive retirement, and targeted training to maintain employability.
• The law creates the experimental 'Contrat de Valorisation de l’Expérience' (CVE) for workers aged 60+, offering mentoring roles and secure retirement.
• Companies with 300+ employees must negotiate senior employment measures every three or four years.

A law, dated 24 October 2025, introduces new obligations and mechanisms to strengthen the employment and career management of 'senior workers'.

Firstly, employers must organise two specific career interviews for senior employees:

• the mid-career interview when the employee reaches approximately 45 years of age to review their professional trajectory, assess the adequacy of their current position, and identify opportunities for skills development or mobility; and
• the pre-retirement interview which must occur within two years before the employee reaches 60 years and focuses on planning the final phase of employment, including adaptations to working conditions and access to training or transition mechanisms.

Additionally, the law introduces measures to facilitate the continued employment of seniors, including flexible working arrangements, progressive retirement, and targeted training to maintain employability.

It notably introduces the CVE, an indefinite-term employment contract implemented on an experimental basis for five years. The CVE is available to candidates aged 60 and above, or 57 and above if provided by a branch agreement.  This contract may include reduced working time, mentoring responsibilities, or missions focused on knowledge transfer, and benefits from a secure retirement procedure once the employee has reached the statutory retirement age and meets the conditions for a full-rate pension.

Finally, companies with a workforce of at least 300 employees and established trade unions are required to negotiate measures aimed at the employment of senior workers. This negotiation must occur every three years, or every four years if an agreement is reached, and must address recruitment, retention, end-of-career arrangements such as progressive retirement or part-time work, and transmission of knowledge through mentoring or tutoring.