During the night of March 29 to 30, 2025, clocks will move forward one hour. While many thought seasonal time changes were on their way out, the reality is more complex. Back in 2019, the European Parliament voted in favor of a draft directive aimed at ending the biannual clock change across the EU. The plan was for Member States to implement the reform following its adoption by the Council, initially expected by the end of 2020. But then came the COVID-19 pandemic, shifting legislative priorities across Europe. As a result, the proposal has been shelved — indefinitely. For now, the seasonal time change remains firmly in place. A useful reminder for HR teams and employers: don’t forget to account for this shift in your scheduling, payroll systems, and workforce planning.

A Decision

Case Law Watch – Working Time Agreements: A Shift in Perspective : In two rulings handed down on March 11, 2025 (Cass. soc. 11-3-2025, n° 23-19.669 and n° 24-10.452), the French Supreme Court (Cour de cassation) clarified a key point regarding "forfait jours" agreements. While the Court reaffirmed that failure to comply with legal or collective agreement requirements — particularly those related to workload monitoring and mandatory interviews — continues to render a "forfait jours" agreement null and void, it introduced a significant nuance regarding employee compensation.

Going forward, the invalidation of such an agreement will no longer automatically entitle the employee to damages. The Court now requires the employee to demonstrate and substantiate the actual harm suffered and justify the amount claimed. A pivotal shift for HR and legal teams: this evolution invites closer scrutiny of compliance protocols, while also opening the door to a more evidence-based approach in potential litigation.

A News

Gender Equality Index: Steady Progress in Transparency and Performance

On March 7, 2025, the French Ministry of Labour released the results of the Gender Equality Index for this year. A reminder for all HR and compliance professionals: companies with 50 or more employees are required to calculate and publish their professional gender equality score annually by March 1st.

As of March 1, 2025, 80% of eligible companies had met this obligation — marking another year of steady progress (up from 77% in 2024, 72% in 2023, and just 54% back in 2020). This growing adherence reflects a broader cultural shift towards greater transparency and accountability in workplace equality.

An Announcement

Harassment Investigations Admissibility of Anonymised Testimonies Clarified: In a noteworthy ruling, the French Supreme Court (Cour de cassation) has provided fresh guidance on the evidentiary value of anonymised witness statements collected during internal investigations into alleged workplace harassment.

The case concerned testimonies that had been anonymised after their collection to protect the individuals who provided them. These statements were later shared with the employee under investigation, although only the employer retained knowledge of the witnesses’ identities.

The Court’s decision rests on a careful balance between the employer’s duty of care — particularly the obligation to ensure a safe working environment — and the fundamental rights of defence under the principles of adversarial proceedings and equality of arms.

According to the Court, anonymised statements may be taken into account by judges if:

• The anonymity aims to protect the authors and their identity is known only to the party presenting the testimony;
• Additional corroborating evidence is submitted alongside the anonymised testimonies;
• The right to evidence justifies an infringement of the adversarial principle, provided that such infringement is strictly necessary and proportionate to the objective pursued.

This ruling invites HR and legal teams to reassess how they handle sensitive investigations — especially when balancing confidentiality with procedural fairness.