Paid leave (congés payés) of a childminder in France
A childminder (assistante maternelle) earns paid leave like any employee: 2.5 working days (jours ouvrables) per month worked, up to 30 working days a year, i.e. five weeks. How it is paid depends on whether the contract covers a full year or a partial year.
Earning paid leave
The reference period runs from 1 June of the previous year to 31 May. Leave earned during this period is normally taken in the following period. Dates are agreed between the parent and the childminder; with several families, planning early avoids clashes.
Holiday pay: the more favourable of two methods
- One tenth (1/10e): 10 % of the gross pay received during the reference period, excluding maintenance and meal allowances.
- Salary maintenance (maintien de salaire): the pay she would have received had she worked.
- Both are calculated and the higher amount is paid.
Full year or partial year
Full year: paid leave is already included in the salary spread over 52 weeks; nothing extra is paid, the monthly salary simply continues during holidays.
Partial year: paid leave is not included in the monthly salary and is paid on top, according to the method set in the contract (in one payment, when the leave is taken, or in instalments).
At the end of the contract
Leave earned but not taken is paid in the final settlement as a compensatory allowance (indemnité compensatrice de congés payés), calculated in the same way.
Frequently asked questions
Do I pay extra when my childminder goes on holiday?
Only on a partial-year contract. On a full-year contract the monthly salary continues unchanged, as leave is already included.
Do allowances count for holiday pay?
No. Maintenance and meal allowances are excluded from the one-tenth calculation: only gross pay counts.
Can leave be taken before it is earned?
Yes, if both parties agree: in advance or as unpaid leave. Put it in writing to avoid payroll errors.