Dematerialize and sign a payslip online
Dematerialized payslip delivered to the employee with full legal force. Compliant with Article L3243-2 of the Labor Code (Macron law of August 6, 2015) and Decree No. 2016-1762 — retention for 50 years (or until the employee''s 75th birthday), presumed consent of employee, express right of opposition, digital safe included.
- Legal framework
- Art. L3243-2 — Macron law
- Signature level
- eIDAS AES recommended
- Legal retention
- 50 years or until employee''s 75th birthday
What is a dematerialized payslip?
The dematerialized payslip is the electronic version of the payslip, made available to the employee in a secure digital safe. Since the Macron law of August 6, 2015 (Article 54) and the decree of December 16, 2016, the employer may provide the payslip in electronic form without prior employee agreement, provided they inform the employee at least one month in advance and comply with retention conditions (50 years or until the employee''s 75th birthday — period covering possible career reconstruction for retirement). The employee may oppose this at any time and request a return to paper format.
Why dematerialize payslips?
Cost savings on sending
No more printing, envelopes, stamps, or hand delivery. For 50 payslips/month, typical savings are €1,500-3,000 per year for an SME — not counting HR time spent on paper archival.
50-year digital safe
Each employee accesses their personal digital safe which retains all payslips for 50 years (or until their 75th birthday), in compliance with regulatory requirements. Compatible with future transfer to the personal activity account (CPA).
Presumed consent — no prior agreement needed
Since 2017, the employer no longer needs to collect express employee agreement to switch to electronic payslips. Written notice one month in advance is sufficient. The employee may oppose at any time and return to paper format.
Enforceable audit trail
Each payslip is delivered with a proof PDF: identity of the employee recipient, timestamped availability, SHA-256 hash of the document, access log. Enforceable in case of employment litigation regarding the existence or content of the payslip.
Digitize a payslip in 4 steps
From payslip generation to storage in the digital safe, in less than 5 minutes.
1. Inform employees
Send an information letter or email to employees at least 1 month before the first electronic delivery. Specify the conditions for accessing the safe, the retention period and the right to object. Template available in Certyneo.
2. Import payslips
Upload the batch of payslips (PDF) from your payroll software. Certyneo integrates with the main payroll SaaS platforms (Silae, Sage, PayFit, etc.). Automatic detection of the recipient employee.
3. Sign electronically (employer)
Advanced signature (AES) of the payslip by the employer or payroll delegate. Qualified timestamped delivery. Compliant with article L3243-2 and decree 2016-1762.
4. Storage in the digital safe
Each employee receives an email notification and accesses their payslip via their personal digital safe. Automatic 50-year retention, PDF export at any time.
Frequently asked questions
- Do you need employee consent to digitize their payslips?
- No — since the Macron law (January 1, 2017), the employer can deliver the payslip in electronic form without prior employee consent, provided they inform them at least one month in advance by any means (letter, email, posting). The employee can object at any time and obtain a return to paper format as soon as possible.
- How long must digitized payslips be kept?
- 50 years from the date of the payslip, OR until the employee turns 75 (article D3243-8 of the Labor Code). This period covers possible career reconstruction for retirement. Certyneo automatically archives each payslip for this duration in a compliant digital safe.
- How does the employee access their payslips?
- Each employee has a personal digital safe accessible via username + password or SMS OTP. They can view, download and print their payslips at any time, even after leaving the company. The safe is compatible with future transfer to the personal activity account (CPA).
- Can the employee refuse digitization?
- Yes — at any time. The employee notifies their refusal to the employer (letter, email, simple mail). The employer must then return to paper format "as soon as possible" (case law: 3 months maximum). No reason is required and no penalty can be imposed.
- What mandatory mentions on the payslip?
- Employer and employee identity, pay period, working hours, basic salary, bonuses, deductions, detailed social contributions (since simplified 2018 payslip), taxable net, net to pay, paid leave, withholding tax rate. No difference from the paper payslip — only the medium changes.
- What happens if the company closes or is taken over?
- The digital safe remains accessible to the employee even after termination of employment or company liquidation. Certyneo guarantees data portability to a new host in case of change of provider, in accordance with decree 2016-1762.
- What signature level for the employer?
- Advanced signature (AES) recommended for the employer or payroll delegate: identity verification via SMS OTP, unique certificate, qualified timestamp. Compliant with article 26 of eIDAS regulation and compatible with integrity requirements of decree 2016-1762.
- Is the digitized payslip enforceable in employment court?
- Yes — advanced electronic signature (AES) gives the payslip the same probative force as the paper payslip (article 1366 Civil Code). In case of litigation regarding the existence or content of the payslip, the employer produces the Certyneo audit trail demonstrating the date of delivery, the identity of the recipient employee and the integrity of the document.
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Digitize your next payslips
Permanent free plan (5 envelopes / month), no credit card. Compliant with Macron law and eIDAS. 50-year digital safe included.