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What is the Syntec IDCC code?


Collective bargaining agreements

Collective bargaining agreements enable labor law to be adapted to the specific features of an industry. These written agreements, the result of negotiations between employers and trade unions, are therefore extremely important.

Each collective agreement is identified by an IDCC code.

Which IDCC code for the Syntec agreement?

  • The IDCC code is a 4-digit code assigned by the French Ministry of Labour that can be used to find the agreement;
  • The Syntec collective agreement code is 1486 ;
  • The code is usually indicated on the employee’s pay slip.

Please note: The agreement also has a brochure number, which should not be confused with the Syntec IDCC code.

How do I know if the Syntec agreement applies to my company?

  • When it is registered, the company is assigned an NAF number (nomenclature d’activité française) or APE number (activité principale exercée).
  • This number is different from the IDCC code, which is only used to find the collective agreement.
  • Each Collective Bargaining Agreement defines its professional scope according to the company’s NAF / APE codes.
  • To find out whether the Syntec collective bargaining agreement applies, refer to the APE/NAF.

Article 1 of the Syntec Convention sets out its scope of application.

The agreement applies to :

  • With the NAF codes listed below;
  • And whose main activity is engineering, consulting engineering firms, studies and consultancy, digital services, events management or translation and interpreting.
Sector of activity APE code
Digital 58.12Z: publishing of directories and address files.
58.21Z: publishing of electronic games.
58.29A: publishing of system and network software.
58.29B: software development tools and languages.
58.29C: software applications.
62.01Z: computer programming.
62.02A: computer systems and software consulting.
62.02B: third-party maintenance of computer systems and applications.
62.03Z: management of computer installations.
62.09Z: other IT activities.
63.11Z: data processing, hosting and related activities.
63.12Z : internet portals.
Engineering 71.12B : engineering, technical studies.
71.20B : technical analysis, testing and inspection.
74.90B : various specialized, scientific and technical activities.
Consulting 70.21Z: public relations and communications consultancy.
70.22Z: business and other management consultancy.
73.20Z: market research and surveys.
78.10Z: activities of employment agencies.
78.30Z: other provision of human resources.
Events 25.11Z : manufacture of metal structures and parts thereof.
43.32C : shop fittings.
68.20B : rental of land and other real estate.
68.32A : administration of buildings and other real estate.
82.30Z: organization of trade fairs, exhibitions and conferences.
90.04Z : management of concert halls.
Translation and interpreting 74.30Z : translation and interpreting.

If your company has several different areas of activity, you will need to refer to your main activity to determine whether the SYNTEC agreement applies to you.

Naturally, DESRUMAUX AVOCATS is at your disposal not only to determine the collective bargaining agreement applicable to your company, but also to help you implement it.

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Contractual termination

What is a “rupture conventionnelle”?

  • The employer and employee terminate the employment contract by mutual agreement;
  • This termination option is only available to employees with permanent contracts.
  • It is strictly regulated by law

The procedure is organized in accordance with the provisions of the Labor Code:

The negotiation interview

  • Organization of one or more meetings between the employee and the employer to negotiate the terms of termination.
  • The employer must summon the employee to this interview by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt or by hand-delivery against receipt. This letter must include the conditions under which the interview is convened, and specify the conditions under which the employee may be assisted during the interview.

During this interview, the employee may be assisted by :

  • By a company employee of his or her choice (employee representative);
  • By an employee advisor chosen from a list drawn up by the administrative authority, in the absence of an employee representative within the company.

If the employee is assisted, he must inform his employer, who may also be assisted:

  • By a company employee of his or her choice
  • By a member of its employers’ union, or by another employer in the same industry, if the company employs fewer than 50 people.

Signing the contractual termination agreement :

  • This agreement is signed following the interviews;
  • It must specify the date of termination of the employment contract (which cannot be the date of signature) and the amount of compensation;
  • It must be signed by both parties;
  • One copy must be given to the employee;

Please note: once the “rupture conventionnelle” has been signed, each party has 15 calendar days in which to withdraw from the agreement.

This period begins the day after the agreement is signed.

Important: if the last day of the deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday, the deadline is extended to the 1st working day.

Once this deadline has passed, the DDETSPP must approve the termination.

Approval of the contractual termination agreement

  • The request must be made after expiry of the withdrawal period;
  • The request must be sent to the DDETSPP
  • Registration applications must be submitted online, via the TéléRC.travail.gouv.fr website;
  • If the person making the request for homologation is not able to use the teleservice, the request can be made by submitting a form, by filling in the cerfa n°14598 form for requesting homologation of a contractual termination and sending it to the DDETSPP;
  • In the absence of a response from the DDETSPP within 15 working days, the agreement is deemed approved.
  • If approval is refused, reasons must be given for the decision.

Important: any appeal concerning the agreement, its homologation or the refusal to homologate must be submitted to the Conseil de prud’hommes within 12 months of the date of homologation of the agreement.

How is the severance pay calculated?

Under French law, the severance pay payable on termination of employment by agreement must not be less than the statutory severance pay or the severance pay payable under the collective bargaining agreement.

To calculate the severance pay, we need to take into account the employee’s length of service and reference salary, which corresponds either to the monthly average of the last 12 months prior to dismissal, or to the monthly average of the last three months prior to dismissal.

Please note: Collective bargaining agreements may provide for a more favorable severance payment for the employee, which should be taken into account.

For example, the Syntec collective bargaining agreement provides for a specific redundancy payment, and therefore a contractual termination payment, for engineers and managers with more than 2 years’ seniority.

For other employees, the indemnity provided for in the agreement is the same as the statutory indemnity.

Engineers and managers with more than two years’ seniority receive an indemnity equal to 1/3 of a month for each year of presence.

It is therefore advisable to take into account this particularity of the agreement when concluding a contractual termination with an engineer or manager with more than two years’ seniority in the company.

For other employees, the legal and conventional indemnities are similar.

Important: Since September 1, 2023, a contribution payable by employers has been levied on the portion of the severance pay that is exempt from social security contributions. The rate is set at 30%. This contribution will apply to all contractual termination agreements.

DESRUMAUX AVOCATS is at your disposal to support you at every stage of the contractual termination of employment with one of your employees.

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Syntec’s new provisions on fixed working days and the right to disconnect: information not to be missed

Among the endorsements adopted by Syntec, one broadens the use of fixed working days and establishes a right to disconnect.

This text eases the conditions of access to the fixed working day and guarantees better working conditions for employees.
Please note: this rider has not yet been the subject of an extension decree. This means that, for the time being, it only applies to companies belonging to the signatory unions.

Once the extension order has been published, this rider will apply to all companies subject to the SYNTEC agreement on the first working day of the month following publication of the order.

Cabinet DESRUMAUX AVOCATS will be sure to inform you of the publication of this decree via its newsletter.

What are the new rules for day work arrangements introduced by this rider?

This new rider makes it possible to relax the conditions of access to the fixed day rate in companies subject to this collective bargaining agreement.

Previously, only managerial staff in position 3.1 could benefit from a fixed-rate day agreement under the Syntec agreement.

From now on, it will be possible to apply these provisions to managerial employees classified in position 2.3.

Please note: These employees will be entitled to a salary increase equal to 122% of the minimum wage for their category.

This represents a gross monthly salary of €3,905.22 for these employees, in application of the conventional minimum wage scale currently in force.

Important: it is still possible to derogate from Syntec’s provisions in this area by means of a company agreement, extending the use of the fixed day even further, but also granting financial compensation other than that stipulated in the Syntec agreement, which can be an obstacle for many companies.

DESRUMAUX AVOCATS will be happy to help you consider the possibility of setting up a special agreement within your company.

What are the new obligations to be met by employees on a fixed day-rate contract?

The Syntec Convention reiterates that employees on a fixed day rate benefit from the same provisions on daily and weekly rest periods as other employees.

A monitoring tool will have to be set up within the company to ensure that these rest periods are respected by employees on fixed day work schedules. This tool can be used in the event of an employee raising an alarm about his or her workload.

Important: if an employee on a day-rate contract finds that his or her workload does not allow him or her to respect these minimum rest periods, he or she can inform his or her employer so that an alternative solution can be found.
These employees can also alert their line managers to organizational and workload issues, or to difficulties linked to professional isolation.
An interview may also be organized for the same reasons at the employer’s initiative.
Measures will then have to be put in place, and will be the subject of a written report and follow-up.
Contrary to what was previously stipulated by Syntec, only one interview, and no longer two, will need to be organized with employees on a fixed-day contract.
This interview should cover the employee’s individual workload, the organization of work within the company, the work-life balance and, finally, the employee’s remuneration.
An overall assessment must be made of the employee’s working conditions: work organization methods, commuting times, individual workload, length of working day, status of days taken and not taken off at the date of the interview, and work-life balance.
If possible, the forecast workload for the coming period should also be analyzed, along with any necessary adaptations in terms of work organization.
Measures may be decided upon, and must also be reported on.
An additional specific interview should be organized if an employee on a fixed-day contract reports unusual difficulties.
The obligations previously laid down in the agreement for employees on a fixed-day contract continue to apply.

What are the terms of the right to disconnect introduced by this rider?

The right to disconnect introduced by this new rider must comply with the following terms and conditions:

  • The company’s commitment not to solicit the employee during rest periods
  • No obligation on the employee to respond to solicitations during rest periods
  • Employees are assured that they will never be penalized or reproached for failing to respond to solicitations during rest periods, and that different behavior will not be encouraged or rewarded.

Measures must be put in place within the company to ensure that employees are able to connect to the remote communication tools made available to them. These measures should be defined directly within the company and communicated to employees.
It is also possible to set up a specific procedure within the company to issue an alert in the event of recurrent use of these work tools during rest periods.
The aim of this procedure is to initiate a discussion between the employee and his or her line manager about such use, so that the employee can effectively exercise his or her right to disconnect.
This procedure can be initiated by the line manager or by the employee himself or herself.

Please note: In companies with more than 250 employees, a disconnection coordinator must be appointed.

The role of this contact person will be to raise awareness of the right to disconnect among all company employees, and to disseminate best practices in this area.

This person will also be involved in the alert procedure described above.

Need advice?

If your company is covered by the Syntec collective bargaining agreement and you are required to have your employees work on a fixed day rate basis, DESRUMAUX AVOCATS is at your disposal to advise you with regard to these new provisions of the collective bargaining agreement.

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Syntec’s new provisions on fixed working days and the right to disconnect: information not to be missed

Among the endorsements adopted by Syntec, one broadens the use of fixed working days and establishes a right to disconnect.

This text eases the conditions of access to the fixed day rate and guarantees better working conditions for employees.

Please note: this rider has not yet been the subject of an extension order. This means that, for the time being, it only applies to companies belonging to the signatory unions.

Once the extension order has been published, this rider will apply to all companies subject to the SYNTEC agreement on the first working day of the month following publication of the order.

Cabinet DESRUMAUX AVOCATS will be sure to inform you of the publication of this decree via its newsletter.

What are the new rules for day work arrangements introduced by this rider?

This new rider makes it possible to relax the conditions of access to the fixed day rate in companies subject to this collective bargaining agreement.

Previously, only managerial staff in position 3.1 could benefit from a fixed-rate day agreement under the Syntec agreement.

From now on, it will be possible to apply these provisions to managerial employees classified in position 2.3.

Please note: These employees will be entitled to a salary increase equal to 122% of the minimum wage for their category. This represents a gross monthly salary of €3,905.22 for these employees, in application of the conventional minimum wage scale currently in force.

Important: it is still possible to derogate from Syntec’s provisions in this area by means of a company agreement, extending the use of the fixed day even further, but also granting financial compensation other than that stipulated in the Syntec agreement, which can be an obstacle for many companies.

DESRUMAUX AVOCATS will be happy to help you consider the possibility of setting up a special agreement within your company.

What are the new obligations to be met by employees on a fixed day-rate contract?

The Syntec Convention reiterates that employees on a fixed day rate benefit from the same provisions on daily and weekly rest periods as other employees.

A monitoring tool will have to be set up within the company to ensure that these rest periods are respected by employees on fixed day work schedules. This tool can be used in the event of an employee raising an alarm about his or her workload.

Important: if an employee on a day-rate contract finds that his or her workload does not allow him or her to respect these minimum rest periods, he or she can inform his or her employer so that an alternative solution can be found.

These employees can also alert their line managers to organizational and workload issues, or to difficulties linked to professional isolation.

An interview may also be organized for the same reasons at the employer’s initiative.

Measures will then have to be put in place, with a written report and follow-up.

Contrary to what was previously prescribed by Syntec, only one interview, and no longer two, will need to be organized with employees on a fixed-day contract.

This interview should cover the employee’s individual workload, the organization of work within the company, the work-life balance and, finally, the employee’s remuneration.

An overall assessment must be made of the employee’s working conditions: work organization methods, commuting times, individual workload, length of working day, status of days taken and not taken off at the date of the interview, and work-life balance.

If possible, the forecast workload for the coming period should also be analyzed, along with any necessary adaptations in terms of work organization.

Measures may be decided upon, and must also be reported on.

An additional specific interview should be organized if an employee on a fixed-day contract reports unusual difficulties.

The obligations previously laid down in the agreement for employees on a fixed-day contract continue to apply.

What are the terms of the right to disconnect introduced by this rider?

The right to disconnect introduced by this new rider must comply with the following terms and conditions:

  • The company’s commitment not to solicit the employee during rest periods;
  • The absence of any obligation on the part of the employee to respond to solicitations during rest periods;
  • Employees are assured that they will never be penalized or reproached for failing to respond to solicitations during rest periods, and that different behavior will not be encouraged or rewarded.

Measures must be put in place within the company to ensure that employees are able to connect to the remote communication tools made available to them. These measures must be defined directly within the company and communicated to employees.

It is also possible to set up a specific procedure within the company to issue an alert in the event of recurrent use of these work tools during rest periods.

The aim of this procedure is to establish a discussion between the employee and his or her line manager on such use, so that the employee can benefit from the effective exercise of his or her right to disconnect.

This procedure can be initiated by either the line manager or the employee.

Please note: In companies with more than 250 employees, a disconnection coordinator must be appointed.

The role of this contact person will be to raise awareness of the right to disconnect among all company employees, and to disseminate best practices in this area.

This contact person will also be involved in the alert procedure described above.

Need advice?

If your company is covered by the Syntec collective bargaining agreement, and you are required to have your employees work on a fixed day rate basis, DESRUMAUX AVOCATS will be happy to advise you on these new collective bargaining provisions.

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SYNTEC’s new provisions on working on Sundays and public holidays: what you need to know

Among the new endorsements adopted by the SYNTEC branch partners, one specifies the rules applicable to work performed on Sundays and public holidays.

This amendment has been extended and therefore applies to all companies covered by the SYNTEC agreement.

If your company makes its employees work on Sundays and/or public holidays, you will need to be aware of these new contractual provisions.

Who is affected by this rider?

All employees covered by the Syntec agreement, whatever their classification, are affected by this rider.

What changes does this endorsement bring?

The new amendment to the SYNTEC agreement differentiates between occasional and regular work on Sundays and public holidays. Employees benefit from different bonuses depending on this distinction.

Work on Sundays and public holidays is considered normal for the employee from the 16th Sunday or public holiday worked during the calendar year.

For example: an employee who has worked 13 Sundays and 4 public holidays in the course of a year is entitled to the exceptional Sunday and public holiday scheme for the first 15 Sundays or public holidays worked. From the 16th Sunday onwards, the usual Sunday and public holiday working arrangements apply.

Important: these terms and conditions apply to all companies in the Syntec branch, even those benefiting from a permanent derogation in their own right.

What extra pay applies to work on Sundays and public holidays?

These supplements vary according to whether work on Sundays and public holidays is usual or exceptional.

    • For exceptional work, these hours will be paid at 100% extra.

Important: employees on a fixed day rate also benefit from this bonus, and these days are also taken into account when calculating the fixed rate.

  • For regular work: employees receive an additional 25% of their remuneration. This is also the case for employees on a fixed day rate, and these days will be taken into account in the calculation of their fixed rate.

Special cases: digital and events sectors

While these provisions apply to all companies covered by the SYNTEC collective bargaining agreement, certain companies in the digital and events sectors benefit from special provisions, in application of the endorsements relating to these types of activity.

Need advice?

If your company is covered by the Syntec collective bargaining agreement, and you are required to have your employees work on Sundays and/or public holidays, DESRUMAUX AVOCATS will be happy to advise you on these new provisions.

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The new rider on teleworking in the Syntec agreement

Syntec adopted four new endorsements at the end of 2022, all of which have now come into force and been extended. One of them establishes a very precise framework for the organization of telecommuting. The aim of this rider is to ensure that the rights of teleworking employees are respected, while ensuring the continuity of the company’s business. This rider does not apply to companies with fewer than 50 employees, which already have a teleworking charter. On the other hand, these provisions will be fully applicable to them as soon as this charter is abolished or modified.

What teleworking situations are covered by the new amendment to the Syntec Agreement?

The new agreement covers all possible teleworking situations:

  • Hybrid work, which consists in regularly sharing a presence in the company
  • Teleworking in exceptional circumstances
  • Permanent teleworking
  • Telecommuting from abroad

How do you set up teleworking in companies covered by the Syntec Agreement?

Telecommuting can be introduced by negotiating a company-wide agreement, or by drawing up a charter that complies with the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement. It is also possible to institute telecommuting in these companies through individual agreements with employees. In the absence of a company agreement, if your organization has a CSE, it must be consulted on decisions concerning the conditions for implementing teleworking.

Please note: if telecommuting is introduced via a charter or collective agreement, this text must contain certain mandatory clauses:

  • Conditions for switching to teleworking and conditions for returning to a non-teleworking contract
  • How the employee accepts the conditions under which telecommuting is to be implemented, as well as how working time is to be monitored or the workload regulated.
  • Determining the time slots during which the employer may contact the employee
  • Access to teleworking for pregnant employees and disabled workers

Important: employees must be informed of the stipulations of the company agreement or charter. As the introduction of teleworking is voluntary for both the employer and the employees concerned, the latter must formalize their agreement by any means. It is preferable to ensure that this agreement is in writing. If telecommuting is introduced without a company agreement or charter, employees will need to be informed of the general framework surrounding the implementation of telecommuting.

This information will cover:

  • Syntec’s collective framework
  • Hybrid work practices, such as workload assessment, reporting and liaison with the company.
  • How telework can be combined with work on the company’s or customer’s premises, taking into account in particular the need to maintain social ties and the quality of collaboration with other employees.
  • Equipment, rules for use, costs, insurance, etc.
  • Rules for covering business expenses, as defined by the company
  • Means of communication between employees and employee representatives

What are the concrete terms of teleworking in the Syntec rider?

  • A mandatory adaptation period
  • Authorized teleworking locations
  • Eligibility to telework
  • Teleworking, a working method subject to double voluntary action
  • The frequency of teleworking
  • Cases of suspension and modification of telework
  • The reversibility of teleworking
  • Working hours for employees teleworking under the Syntec agreement
  • Work equipment and supplies
  • Commuting expenses
  • Business expenses and luncheon vouchers
  • Special procedures for supporting workers in specific situations (disability, pregnancy, accident, illness)
  • Safety measures to be implemented for teleworking employees
  • The right to disconnect for teleworking employees under the Syntec agreement
  • Monitoring the working time and workload of teleworking employees

DESRUMAUX AVOCATS is at your disposal should you require further information on this rider, or more generally should you wish to set up or reorganize teleworking within your company.

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The four-day week: a revolution in the world of work?

Did you know that a growing proportion of companies in France are already experimenting with a four-day working week?

Adopting this practice raises fascinating questions about work-life balance, productivity and employee well-being.

What is the four-day week?

The four-day work week is a new trend in labour law that could be implemented in two ways:

  • Reduce the total number of working hours per week, without lowering wages
  • Keep the 35-hour week, but increase daily working hours

Several large companies, such as KPMG in France, have already adopted a four-day week. Abroad, similar initiatives are being tested by 200 companies in Spain and several in the UK. In Iceland, after a successful trial period, the four-day week has been generalized.

The benefits of a four-day work week

The four-day work week can have several advantages for employees and employers. For example:

  • Increased productivity
  • Reduced absenteeism
  • Improving well-being at work
  • Attracting new talent
  • Reduced operating costs and carbon footprint

The challenges of a four-day work week

However, the four-day work week also presents certain challenges. For example, it could :

  • Creating problems in personnel management and work-life balance
  • Making implementation tricky and costly
  • More stress for employees who have to work more at the same time
  • Affecting sales and profitability
  • Problems of competitiveness
  • Additional hiring required
  • Reducing employees’ social ties with the company

What do you think of the four-day work week?

Adopting a four-day working week is a decision that depends on the specific situation of each company. If you have any questions on this subject, Cabinet DESRUMAUX AVOCATS can help you assess whether this option is right for your company, and how to implement it effectively.

We invite you to share your thoughts and experiences on this fascinating subject. Is the four-day work week the future of work? We look forward to hearing your views.

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The modernized version of the Syntec agreement came into force on May 1: Major changes

New amendments to the SYNTEC agreement were extended at the beginning of May, and must therefore be applied in all companies applying this agreement.

These amendments implement a modernized version of this agreement at national level.

It is worth analyzing the main changes brought about by the implementation of these texts.

– An updated collective agreement

The text of the collective bargaining agreement has been revised in its entirety by the social partners, with the aim of simplifying it and making it easier to read.

The new collective agreement now comprises 69 articles divided into thirteen chapters.

The text has been reorganized to make it easier to understand.

The text has also been reworded to clarify its interpretation.

A glossary has been included to make it easier to understand the structure of the text.

– New notice periods for termination of the trial period at the employer’s initiative

New provisions coming into force in this new version of the SYNTEC agreement provide for new notice periods in the event of termination of the trial period by the employer, capped at 6 weeks when the employee has between 6 and 8 months’ seniority.

– Recalculation of retirement indemnities

The calculation of severance pay on retirement has been harmonized with that of severance pay.

From now on, the remuneration elements to be taken into account will be the same for calculating these two allowances.

– Changes to fixed-price agreements

The new version of the Agreement broadens the scope for using fixed-price agreements.

As a result, it is now permitted under the collective bargaining agreement to enter into lump-sum agreements with position 2.3 managers.
Previously, only position 3 managers could enter into this type of agreement.

Please note: employees on a fixed day rate must be paid 100% extra for days worked on Sundays and public holidays.

– Implementation of a telecommuting agreement

The social partners of the Syntec agreement have also adopted an amendment concerning telecommuting, which has been growing steadily in recent years.

The new agreement sets two objectives for employees who work in this way:

– Establish a framework for the latter and for companies that implement hybrid work ;

– To ensure the protection of these employees and the continuity of the company’s activity.
For example, this agreement provides for the fixing of teleworking locations, the need for volunteers to set up teleworking…

Important: employees working from home must also have a break of at least 45 minutes, including the statutory 20-minute break once the working time has reached 6 hours.

Part of this agreement is also devoted to the right to disconnect for all employees covered by the SYNTEC agreement.

– Adopting leave for spontaneous termination of pregnancy

Any employee affected by a spontaneous interruption of pregnancy will benefit from an exceptional two-day leave of absence. This absence will not be deducted from the employee’s vacation entitlement, and there will be no reduction in salary.
This leave applies equally to the employee experiencing the interruption and to his or her spouse, provided that these employees are covered by the Syntec agreement.

– Annual negotiation of minimum wage levels for supervisors, engineers and managers

Minimum wages will be reviewed annually, no later than June 30 of each year.