Section 1: Public policy

The employer may, under his sole responsibility and by informing the labour inspector, derogate from the minimum period of eleven hours’ daily rest per employee in the event of urgent work whose immediate execution is necessary in order to: 1° Organise rescue measures ; 2° Prevent imminent accidents; 3° Repair accidents to equipment, installations or buildings.

The derogations provided for in articles D. 3131-1 and D. 3131-4 to D. 3131-7 are subject to the allocation of at least equivalent periods of rest to the employees concerned. Where it is not possible to grant such rest, equivalent compensation is provided for by collective labour agreement.

To ensure compliance with the minimum daily rest period of eleven consecutive hours for employees who do not work to a collective timetable, the employer may set a daily period for the establishment, workshop, department or team within the meaning of article D. 3171-7 which corresponds at least to the duration of this rest period. The times at which this period begins and ends are posted in the company. If…