Directions Régionales de l’Économie, de l’Emploi, du Travail et des Solidarités (DREETS) are French regional offices for the economy, employment, labour, and solidarity. They were created in 2021, replacing the former DIRECCTE and DRCS agencies with the aim of decentralising public services in France. In Paris, the office is the DRIEETS.
The DREETS protect French workers, consumers, and the wider population through co-ordinating and implementing public policies at the regional level. Such policies, as the ‘DREETS’ name suggests, relate to employment and labour law, economic development, and social cohesion.
What role do the DREETS play in French employment and labour law?
The DREETS play several key roles in French working life, including:
- Inspection du travail (Labour Inspectorate): a public service agency responsible for enforcing labour laws and compliance with employment standards, as well as protecting workers’ health and safety.
- Overseeing and approving large-scale collective redundancies, with the DREETS also receiving notifications of individual dismissals.
- Providing strategic support to employers, such as assisting HR departments with workforce planning during economic transitions.
- Co-ordinating regional policies for job creation and vocational training.
What are the full responsibilities of the Labour Inspectorate?
The inspection du travail ensures the application of, and compliance with, the provisions of the French Labour Code, collective agreements and company agreements, in businesses with at least one employee. Importantly, they will also note any breaches of these provisions and sanction the employers responsible.
As such, the labour inspector wields a large amount of power and can legally enter any workplace at any time (day or night), without prior notice. They can also interview employees without the employer present, conduct technical analyses, and may demand to see mandatory company documents, such as the DUERP risk assessment, immediately.
Ultimately, in the event of serious or imminent danger to the life or health of one or more employees, the labour inspector may impose a temporary cessation to the company’s activity.
Who can refer a case to the Inspection du travail?
The Labour Inspectorate’s contact details must be displayed clearly within the company’s premises via mandatory displays, and an inspection may be triggered following a complaint made by an employee or the CSE (social and economic committee). However, a visit may also be the result of a simple unannounced check.
The Inspection du travail is responsible for facilitating dialogue between the company and its employees, with the purpose of preventing and/or settling collective disputes.
The employer must refer directly to the labour inspector in certain circumstances, which include the proposed dismissal of a protected employee (such as a staff representative), and requests for derogation from the maximum working time.
Please contact us for in-depth information about the DREETS and the Inspection du travail, and how their activities apply to your French company.
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