French Employment law - Art. 44 of « Loi intégrale » - Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in the workplace: employers must conduct an internal investigation without delay, with the consent of the alleged victim.

The "loi intégrale" / draft law providing a comprehensive response to the phenomenon of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) against women and children aims to strengthen employers' obligations regarding reporting, internal investigations, and the protection of alleged victims.

Article 44 specifically mandates an investigation procedure following a report, establishes guidelines for its implementation, and imposes financial penalties on employers who fail to meet their obligations (Article L1153-2 of the amended Labor Code and new Article L4462-3 of the Labor Code).

This measure aims to make internal investigations a genuine tool for preventing and addressing violence in the workplace, but their effectiveness will depend on the safeguards surrounding their implementation.

1) An internal investigation procedure governed by law.

Article 44 of the proposed law aims to establish a more precise framework for handling reports of sexual and gender-based violence in the French Labor Code (new Article L4462-3 of the Labor Code).

It addresses incidents of sexual assault, sexual harassment, and sexist behavior occurring in the workplace.

First, an employer informed by an employee who believes they have been a victim of such acts would be required to inform them without delay of their rights and the available remedies under the Labor Code.

The employer would also be required to keep records of all reports received.

An amendment adopted in committee further stipulates that an internal investigation can be initiated when the incidents are reported by a third party, and not only by the person who believes they have been a victim.

Second, the employer would be required to conduct an internal investigation without delay, with the consent of the alleged victim.

The text includes several obligations designed to govern this procedure. Protective measures must be taken to prevent any contact between the alleged victim, witnesses, and the accused person for the duration of the investigation.

The hearings must follow a specific order: the alleged victim will be heard first, followed by the witnesses identified during the investigation, and then by the accused person.

At the conclusion of the procedure, an investigation report should be drawn up. This report will summarize the evidence gathered and the conclusions of the investigation, and will then be given to the alleged victim and the accused person.

The employer will also be required to keep this report for a period set by decree. Finally, the employer must ensure the protection of the alleged victim against reprisals (new Article L4462-3 of the Labor Code and amended Article L1153-2 of the Labor Code).

Thirdly, the text provides for an external oversight mechanism.

Anyone who has filed a report may contact the labor inspectorate if they believe the investigation was not conducted in accordance with legal or regulatory requirements, or that its conclusions are clearly insufficient given the evidence gathered.

Finally, failure to comply with obligations relating to the retention of reports, the protection of victims, and the organization of the internal investigation could result in an administrative financial penalty.

This penalty could amount to 1% of the wages and earnings paid to employees or those treated as such during the previous calendar year.

The penalty would be set by the administrative authority under conditions determined by decree, and its proceeds would be allocated to the occupational accidents and diseases branch of the Social Security system (new Article L4462-3 of the Labor Code).

To read the full brief, click on the link below.

https://www.village-justice.com/articles/enquetes-internes-violences-sexuelles-sexistes-vss-travail-que-prevoit-article,59661.html

Sources.

Proposition de loi apportant une réponse intégrale au phénomène des violences sexuelles et sexistes contre les femmes et les enfants, n° 3106 [1]
Liaisons sociales quotidien, “La proposition d’une loi intégrale contre les violences sexuelles et sexistes”, 9 octobre 2026
Propos sexistes et sexuels contre une salariée = harcèlement sexuel = licenciement nul
L’employeur doit-il nécessairement déclencher une enquête interne pour licencier un salarié pour harcèlement sexuel ?
Enquêtes internes : analyse de la proposition de loi visant à donner un cadre législatif aux enquêtes internes et rappel de la jurisprudence
Propos connotation sexuelle + pressions sur une salariée pour tenter d’obtenir des faveurs sexuelles = Harcèlement sexuel [2]
Enquête interne et licenciement suite à un harcèlement moral ou sexuel : appréciation de sa valeur probante par le juge

Frédéric CHHUM avocat et ancien membre du conseil de l’ordre des avocats de Paris (mandat 2019-2021)

CHHUM AVOCATS (Paris, Nantes, Lille)

e-mail: chhum@chhum-avocats.com

www.chhum-avocats.fr

https://www.instagram.com/fredericchhum/?hl=fr

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