Fired Employees Don't Have To Repay Training Costs In France

The decision at stake, dated 10 May 2012, concerned a chartered accountant dismissed for wilful misconduct ("faute lourde"). The employee alleged, among other things, that the employer was not entitled to effect withholdings on payments of his salary prior to the termination of his employment contract (amounting to 4,900 €) for reimbursement to the employer of the cost of training sessions which the employee attended a few months prior the termination.

Under French employment law, employment contracts can provide, subject to certain conditions, that employees...