Reclassement leave vs CSP: which to choose?

Redeployment leave (congé de reclassement) and the Professional Security Contract (Contrat de Sécurisation Professionnelle, CSP) are the two support schemes available after an economic redundancy in France. The rule is simple: it is the size of your employer that determines which one is offered to you. You generally do not get to choose — but understanding the difference helps you assess whether you are being treated fairly.

The fundamental rule: company size

Employer headcount	Scheme	Who funds it
< 1,000 employees	CSP (mandatory)	France Travail (Unédic)
≥ 1,000 employees	Redeployment leave (mandatory)	The employer directly
Company in receivership / court-ordered liquidation	CSP, regardless of size	France Travail

This rule is strictly codified in the French Labour Code (articles L1233-65 for the CSP and L1233-71 for redeployment leave).

The full comparison table

	CSP	Redeployment leave
Headcount	< 1,000 employees	≥ 1,000 employees
Duration	12 months, fixed	4 to 12 months (at the employer's discretion)
Allowance during the notice period	N/A (waived)	100% of salary
Allowance after the notice period	75% of gross salary	Minimum 65%, may reach 100%
Monthly cap	€10,998	No legal cap — depends on the PSE
Status	Vocational training trainee	Employee under an employment contract
Waiting period before compensation	0 days	Up to 75 days after the leave
Return-to-work bonus	Yes (up to 50% of remaining entitlements)	No
Cooling-off period	21 days to accept	8 days to accept
Unemployment treatment	Counts toward the duration of ARE entitlements	Also counts, after any return to work
Severance pay	Maintained	Maintained

CSP: the key advantages

• 75% of gross salary (vs 57% for the standard ARE) — a major difference for modest incomes;
• No waiting period — you are paid from the day after the contract ends;
• Intensive support with a dedicated France Travail advisor;
• €5,000 of training funding guaranteed by France Travail;
• Return-to-work bonus, little known but highly attractive: if you find a permanent contract (CDI) or a fixed-term contract (CDD) of ≥ 6 months before the 10^th month, you receive 50% of the remaining ASP entitlements. To be claimed within 30 days of returning to work.

Redeployment leave: the key advantages

• No legal cap on the allowance — for very high earners, this is decisive;
• Employee status maintained — more comfortable both psychologically and administratively (health insurance, provident cover, seniority);
• Allowance during the notice period at 100% of salary (uncapped);
• Flexible duration — the employer may offer 4, 6, 9 or 12 months depending on the PSE;
• Outplacement firm often more premium (LHH, BPI Group, Altedia), funded by the employer.

The pitfalls of redeployment leave

• Up to 75 days of waiting period at the end of the leave before the ARE begins — this is the biggest pitfall;
• Minimum allowance of just 65% — depending on the employer, this may be less favourable than the CSP's 75% for modest salaries;
• Duration at the employer's discretion — a restrictive employer may impose 4 months where 12 would be possible.

The Cadre Averti verdict

"The great advantage of the CSP is that it is an enhanced scheme that does not depend on the employer's willingness. Redeployment leave, on the other hand, depends on the company's generosity. Large companies offering robust support make redeployment leave the superior option; those that minimise it put employees at a disadvantage compared with CSP beneficiaries." — Cadre Averti

How to assess whether your redeployment leave is generous?

Ask your management or your CSE representative 4 questions:

1. What is the total duration of the redeployment leave?
2. What is the allowance rate after the notice period? (65% minimum, but often negotiated to 70-80% in good PSEs)
3. Which outplacement firm is appointed and what is its reputation?
4. Is there a specific training budget included?

If the answer is: 12 months, 80%+, a recognised firm, training budget ≥ €5,000, you are rather better off than under the standard CSP. If the answer is: 4 months, 65%, an unknown firm, no training, you are worse off.

Special cases where you do have a real choice

The choice between the CSP and redeployment leave is genuinely yours in two rare cases:

• A company crossing the 1,000-employee threshold at the time of the redundancy (a contentious case);
• A company under court-supervised reorganisation (sauvegarde judiciaire) (CSP offered even above 1,000) — a recent example: Casino Group 2024.

In summary

• The scheme is determined by the size of the company, not by your choice;
• For modest salaries (≤ €4,000/month gross), the CSP is generally more advantageous;
• For very high earners (≥ €15,000/month gross), a well-funded redeployment leave can outperform the capped CSP;
• In any case, your severance pay (statutory, collectively agreed, supra-statutory) remains due — see our guide to supra-statutory severance pay.