2026 brings its share of surprises, notably regarding the reconversion fixed-term contract!
At a time when skills assessments are in vogue (in 2024, more than 80,000 assessments were funded through the CPF), this arrangement also adds flexibility to potentially test another occupation.
Also read: The skills assessment for whom? Why?
In this regard, Article L.1242-3, 5th of the French Labour Code provides that a CDD can be concluded “for the reconversion period mentioned in Article L.6324-1 […] for a duration of at least six months.”
The article has been in force since January 1, 2026.
At a time when skills assessments are in vogue (in 2024, more than 80,000 assessments were funded through the CPF), this arrangement also adds flexibility to potentially test another occupation.
Also read: The skills assessment for whom? Why?
In this regard, Article L.1242-3, 5th of the French Labour Code provides that a CDD can be concluded “for the reconversion period mentioned in Article L.6324-1 […] for a duration of at least six months.”
The article has been in force since January 1, 2026.
Reconversion CDD: What is it for?
But what is the point of this CDD?Simply put, the employee can try out a new job or a different professional environment within a host company without breaking immediately and directly with their original employer.
Consider the case of a recruitment officer at a renowned company who has always wanted to work with children: she became a camp counselor.
A successful transition and the sense of having fulfilled a long-held wish.
This mechanism therefore allows employees already on permanent contracts (CDI) or fixed-term contracts (CDD) to have the opportunity to undertake a professional reconversion in another company by temporarily suspending their initial contract.
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For the hosting company, a way to recruit an already experienced profile
France Travail also presents this mechanism as a means for the host company to recruit a profile that is already experienced, by supporting them with training and potentially offering a permanent contract (CDI) at the end, if the reconversion proves successful.
But how does it work if the original contract is suspended during the reconversion CDD period?
A written agreement must specify the terms of organization, the suspension period, the conditions for an early return, and the consequences in case of termination of the probation period. Everything must be legally formalized just as with the end of a “classic” contract.
Thus, at the end of this CDD, there are two options available to the employee: either rejoin their initial position or a similar role, or continue with the host company, with a defined exit from the initial contract.
This new mechanism could become a reliable tool to safeguard professional career paths, provided it is, of course, properly regulated.
In my view, it represents a meaningful step forward to support mobility, reconversions, and professional transitions within a more secure framework. The aim is to test a new occupation while being “protected.”
But how does it work if the original contract is suspended during the reconversion CDD period?
A written agreement must specify the terms of organization, the suspension period, the conditions for an early return, and the consequences in case of termination of the probation period. Everything must be legally formalized just as with the end of a “classic” contract.
Thus, at the end of this CDD, there are two options available to the employee: either rejoin their initial position or a similar role, or continue with the host company, with a defined exit from the initial contract.
This new mechanism could become a reliable tool to safeguard professional career paths, provided it is, of course, properly regulated.
In my view, it represents a meaningful step forward to support mobility, reconversions, and professional transitions within a more secure framework. The aim is to test a new occupation while being “protected.”
