RTT stands for Réduction du Temps de Travail (Reduction of Working Time), measured in days. Under French labor law, employees are entitled to a maximum of 35 hours per week or 1,600 hours annually. If you exceed these limits, your employer must grant RTT days to compensate. For a standard 39-hour week, you can accrue up to 4 hours of RTT per week. Part-time workers receive RTT proportionally based on hours worked. Companies use RTTs as an alternative to overtime pay. These days are valid only within the calendar year (January 1 to December 31). Employees can take them as half-days or full days of rest. Unused RTTs expire at year-end, but if you can't take them due to employer restrictions, you're entitled to overtime compensation.
Companies may mandate certain RTT days, while others can be chosen freely in consultation with your manager—rules vary by employer, so check your company's policy. Absences for illness or family events (counted as working time) don't affect your RTT accrual. RTTs are separate from paid vacation and can be combined for extended breaks, but they can't be taken on public holidays. Strategically pair RTTs with vacations to maximize time off, or use them to recharge during intense weeks or extend weekends.
