How to apply for an exemption from the principle of Sunday rest

In accordance with the stipulations of Article 1 of the Act no. 822 of 23 June 1967 concerning the weekly rest period "Employees must be granted, except for exemptions hereinafter, a weekly rest period of at least one full day. This rest period is given on Sundays.".

There are three exemptions from the principle of Sunday rest:

• The exemption from the principle of Sunday rest provided for in Article 2 of the Act no. 822 of 23 June 1967 concerning the weekly rest period 
• The exemption from the principle of Sunday rest in retail establishments provided for in Article 3-1 of the Act no. 822 of 23 June 1967 concerning the weekly rest period 
• The suspension of weekly rest periods provided for in Articles 4 and 5 of the Act no. 822 of 23 June 1967, concerning the weekly rest period

The conditions for requesting and reviewing the above-mentioned exemptions are set out in

Depending on the exemption requested, you will need to provide certain supporting documents.

The supporting documents to be provided are:

• With regard to the exemption provided for in Article 2 of the Act no. 822 of 23 June 1967, the opinion of the staff representatives or, if not available that of the trade union concerned
• With regard to the exemption provided for in Article 3-1 of the Act no. 822 of 23 June 1967, the information provided to the employee(s) and, where applicable, to the staff representatives, on the general arrangements for undertaking the work envisaged, including the factors that make it possible to assess compliance with the provisions of the aforementioned act
• With regard to the suspension of weekly rest periods provided for in Articles 4 and 5 of the Act no. 822 of 23 June 1967, the list of the relevant Sundays and the employees concerned, by completing the following file : 
  Annexe à la demande de dérogation au repos dominical (368-0009_01-2020)

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