Paid educational leave: train without losing your salary
You want to train, develop new skills or explore a field that you are passionate about... but you are wondering how to do it without blowing up your schedule, stressing your organization or putting your salary on hold?
Good news: paid educational leave (PEL) is here for that! ✨
This system offers you the opportunity to take certain training courses while continuing to work, without losing your pay. In other words: you can evolve, learn and breathe... without putting your job on hold. 🙌
In this article, we explain who is entitled to it, which training courses are recognized, how it works and why it is a real boost for your professional future.
Let’s go! 👇
What exactly is paid educational leave?
Paid educational leave (PEL) is a right for private sector workers. Concretely, it allows you to absent yourself from work to follow recognized training, while being paid normally by your employer.
👉 If you and your training meet the legal conditions, your employer must accept your request.
👉 On their side, they can request a flat-rate reimbursement for the hours of leave granted.
A win-win deal!
Who can benefit from it?
To be entitled to PEL, you must:
Work in the private sector
Be employed full-time or part-time (at least 25% of a full-time job).
Be employed under an employment contract or be employed under the authority of a person.
Which training courses are concerned?
Paid educational leave covers both professional and general training, provided that the training is recognized.
Here are some examples of approved training courses : social promotion education, higher education leading to bachelor's or master's degrees, continuous training for the middle classes, training preparing for the exercise of a shortage occupation, the central or university jury, sectoral training, presentation for a skills validation examination, as well as general training.
In addition, each training course must notably include a minimum of 32 hours of classes (except for presentation for a skills validation examination and registration for the central or university jury).
👉 Good to know : Classes can be taken in person, in a hybrid format or online.
How does it work, concretely?
Register for a recognized training course.
Inform your employer before October 31 of the school year (or within 15 days following a late registration) and communicate your dates of absence.
Prove your attendance via quarterly certificates.
Your employer, for their part, submits a single reimbursement request per year for all concerned workers.
💡 Tip : the training you are taking does not need to be related to your current job to give the right to paid educational leave. You can therefore explore a new field or develop a passion, while benefiting from this system.
Remuneration and protection
During your paid educational leave, your salary is maintained, with a cap of €3,714 per month, and you notably continue to benefit from your meal vouchers for the days you are absent to attend your classes.
In addition, you are protected against dismissal: your employer cannot fire you from the day you submit your registration certificate until the end of your training, except for reasons unrelated to your educational leave.
On the employer side, they can request a flat-rate reimbursement of €21.30 per hour of paid educational leave, with a cap of €700,000 per year and per employer.
Why paid educational leave is great for you ✨
Thanks to paid educational leave, you can train with complete peace of mind, without financial stress, while continuing to develop your skills.
It is a great opportunity to boost your employability, deepen a field that intrigues you or even explore a new passion that you never had time to dig into. Your employer can also actively support you in your professional development, which makes your journey even more enriching.
In short: PEL is a real breath of fresh air for your brain and your professional future! 😍
👉 For more information on paid educational leave, you can also consult directly the website of FOREM.
👉 And if you want to discover companies that really make a difference? Meet us on Meet My Job! 🌱