Changes to sick-leave requests to take place from July in France
State looks to combat fraud surrounding fake sick-leave forms
Around €30 million of fraudulent sick-leave payments were made against physical form forgeries and fakes, Assurance Maladie estimates
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Physical sick-leave requests in France will soon have to be sent via a specific document, as state health insurer Assurance Maladie looks to cut down on fraud in the sector.
From July 1, anyone who wants to send a physical sick-leave request will only be able to do so via genuine copies of specific and secure ‘Cerfa’ forms.
All other paper requests will be denied, including photocopies and scans of the Cerfa forms.
The documents have a number of anti-fraud measures such as a holographic label and electronic magnetic signature, to prevent unscrupulous usage.
The way these forms are used remains the same – sections 1 and 2 must be sent to your local CPAM (Caisse Primarie Assurance Maladie) within 48 hours of receiving them from your GP or consulting doctor.
Section 3 is to be sent to your employer, or if unemployed, to the France Travail jobseekers platform.
The rule-change will not affect electronically-sent sick-leave requests.
These now make up the vast majority of requests, some 80%, as they are generally quicker to complete and provide reimbursement faster than paper forms.
However, paper versions are still used by some patients, and in certain cases such as home visits, are the only possible course of action, as electronic requests cannot be sent for all medical appointments.
Read more: New rules for sick-leave notes introduced in France
Fighting fraud
Around €30 million worth of fraudulent sick-leave payments were issued in 2024 due to false forms, Assurance Maladie believes, a major jump from the estimated €8 million in 2023.
These fraudulent forms can be illicitly purchased online or completed by scammers, allowing people to be paid sick-leave when they are in fact perfectly well.
Those caught using forged sick-leave notices are required to pay up to three times the losses incurred by Assurance Maladie for carrying out the request, in addition to paying back all of the sums paid to them.
Repeat offenders and those found guilty of large-scale fraud face imprisonment and fines of up to €375,000.
A different strategy to reduce sick-leave in France is likely to be seen in due course, as these payments have ballooned in recent years.
France spent an estimated €17 billion on sick-pay in 2024.
