Sign an employment contract online (permanent, fixed-term)
Employment contract between an employer and an employee, electronically signed with the same legal value as a paper contract. Compliant with article L1221-1 of the Labour Code (contract formation), article L1242-12 (mandatory written fixed-term contract transmitted within 2 days), eIDAS regulation — advanced signature recommended, 50-year archiving (duration of contract + limitation periods).
- Legal framework
- L1221-1 + L1242-12 Labour Code
- Signature level
- eIDAS AES recommended
- Legal archiving
- 10 years included
What is a dematerialized employment contract?
An employment contract is the deed by which an employer and employee formalize their working relationship. For permanent contracts, no written document is mandatory under French law (art. L1221-1 Labour Code), but practice requires one for evidentiary and conventional reasons. For fixed-term contracts (art. L1242-12), a written document is mandatory on pain of reclassification as permanent; it must be transmitted to the employee no later than 2 business days from hiring (art. L1242-13). Advanced electronic signature + qualified timestamping allow strict compliance with this deadline and avoid the risk of reclassification — a major risk in the event of employment court proceedings.
Why sign electronically?
2-day fixed-term contract deadline met to the second
Article L1242-13 requires transmission of the fixed-term contract to the employee within 2 business days on pain of reclassification as permanent. Certyneo precisely timestamps the transmission (and signature) with qualified timestamp — enforceable before the employment court.
Accelerated onboarding — start the same day
No need to wait for postal delivery of the signed paper contract. The employee signs from their phone and can start immediately, with direct access to their digital safe for all their HR documents (contract, amendments, payslips).
A
The employment contract must be kept for the entire duration of employment + 5 years after termination (art. L1471-1 Labour Code). In practice 50 years to cover retirement career reconstruction. Certyneo automatically archives the contract + eIDAS audit trail for this duration.
Audit trail enforceable before the employment court
Each contract is delivered with a proof PDF: employee identity verified by SMS OTP, qualified timestamping, SHA-256 hash, IP. Enforceable before the employment court in case of dispute over hiring date, contract nature or clauses.
4-step procedure
From preparation to legal archiving, in less than 5 minutes.
1. Prepare the contract
Upload your permanent or fixed-term contract template (mandatory information: identity of the parties, hiring date, job title, work location, working hours, remuneration, collective agreement, trial period, reason and end date of fixed-term contract).
2. Add signatories
Employer + employee. If guarantor (apprentice, minor), add the legal representative. Each receives a personalized secure link by email with SMS OTP.
3. Choose the eIDAS level
Advanced signature (AES) recommended: identity verification by SMS OTP, unique certificate per signatory, qualified timestamping. Compliant with article 26 of the eIDAS regulation and enforceable before the employment court.
4. Immediate onboarding
The finalized contract + audit trail are automatically archived for 50 years in the employee''s and employer''s digital vault. Onboarding can start immediately.
Frequently asked questions
- Can an employment contract be signed electronically?
- Yes, without restriction. No provision of the Labor Code requires a handwritten signature. Article 1366 of the Civil Code grants electronic documents the same probative force as paper documents. Certyneo''s advanced signature (AES) meets evidentiary requirements in case of labor court disputes.
- Is the 2-day deadline for fixed-term contracts really met with electronic signature?
- Yes, and with greater precision than paper. Certyneo precisely timestamps the contract''s transmission to the employee (qualified timestamp under eIDAS). The 2-day deadline runs from the effective hire date; electronic signature allows the contract to be sent the same day, or even before the start date.
- What happens in case of dispute over the hire date?
- Certyneo''s audit trail proves the exact signature date with qualified timestamp — enforceable before the labor court. No more debate over "backdated contract" or "never received": the technical proof is irrefutable.
- What signature level for an employment contract?
- Advanced signature (AES) recommended. It provides the presumption of reliability (art. 1367 Civil Code) and satisfies evidentiary requirements. SES is undersized given labor law stakes; QES is oversized.
- How long must an employment contract be kept?
- Five-year limitation period under the Labor Code (art. L1471-1), extended to 5 years after termination for most claims. In practice, keep for 50 years to cover career reconstruction (retirement). Certyneo automatically archives the contract + audit trail for this duration.
- Can an amendment be signed electronically?
- Yes — amendments to the employment contract (change of function, location, compensation, duration) are signed like the initial contract: advanced signature + qualified timestamp. The amendment is archived with the contract in the same employee file.
- Must the contract be in two copies?
- Article L1242-12 requires a written copy transmitted to the employee for fixed-term contracts. With electronic signature, this requirement is satisfied by making the signed PDF available in the employee''s digital vault + sending the PDF by email. No need for two paper copies.
- Is an electronically signed contract enforceable in labor court?
- Yes — labor court case law unanimously recognizes eIDAS-compliant electronic signatures. The presumption of reliability in art. 1367 Civil Code makes advanced signature (AES) enforceable without further proof, provided the audit trail is produced.
Also read
Sign your first employment contract online
Permanent free plan (5 envelopes / month), no credit card required. Compliant with Labor Code and eIDAS. Audit trail and 50-year archiving included.