Note: The consolidated version of the Labour Code is regularly updated.

There is no general exclusion based on the size of the enterprise. However, the LC provides for exemptions from some procedural requirement for enterprises employing less than 11 workers in particular with respect to sanctions in the event of non compliance with dismissal (procedural and substantive) requirements. See art. 1235-5 LC and art. 1235-14 LC (on collective dismissal).
In addition, employees' representatives ("délégués du personnel") who shall be consulted when the employer contemplates collective redundancies must be elected only in companies employing at least 11 workers.

The employment relationship of those categories is governed by public law regulations.

See art. L 1242-1 LC to L. 1242-4 LC.
Art L 1242-2 LC: exhaustive list of situations when the use of FTC is authorized.

Art. L 1243-13 LC

Art. L 1242-8 LC.
General rule: 18 months maximum.
Depending on the grounds for resorting to a FTC, it can be up to 24 months in 3 specific situations.

Source: Eurostat, as of first trimester 2010
The figure refers to the percentage of employee of total number of employee with a contract of limited duration (= temporary job).
Eurostat data are based on the following definition:
"A job may be considered temporary if employer and employee agree that its end is determined by objective conditions such as a specific date, the completion of a task or the return of another employee who has been temporarily replaced (usually stated in a work contract of limited duration). Typical cases are: (a) persons with seasonal employment; (b) persons engaged by an agency or employment exchange and hired to a third party to perform a specific task (unless there is a written work contract of unlimited duration); (c) persons with specific training contracts."

Art. L 1221-19 LC & L. 1221-21 LC: max. 4 months renewable once.

Motives must be provided by the employer during a prior oral interview: art L1232-3 LC.
In addition, the reasons behind the dismissals should be exposed in the letter of notification of the dismissal: art. L1232-6 LC

Individual dismissal: must be justified by a serious and genuine cause ("cause réelle et sérieuse"): art. L 1232-1 LC
Dismissal for economic reasons: must be equally justified by a serious and genuine cause : art. L 1233-3 LC.

Art. L 1132-1 LC: list of prohibited grounds of discrimination.
Art. L 1132-2 LC: lawful exercise of the right to strike.
Art. L1132-3 LC: whistle blowing.
Art. L1225-4 LC: dismissal is prohibited during pregnancy, where this has been medically certified, during maternity leave (whether or not the worker uses the right to take the leave). Dismissal is nonetheless permitted in case of a serious fault of the worker unrelated to pregnancy, or when the employer is unable to maintain the contract of employment for reasons unconnected with pregnancy or confinement. The same protection against dismissal applies to a employee in adoption leave (see art. 1225-38 LC)

*Workers' representatives:
- Trade union representatives and other worker's representatives: art. L 2411-1 LC
- Worker's adviser: art. 1232-14 LC
* Pregnant women and women on maternity leave: art. L 1225-4 and L 1225-5 LC, employees on adoption leave: art 12225-38 LC
Dismissal is prohibited during pregnancy, where this has been medically certified, during maternity leave (whether or not the worker uses the right to take the leave) and during the period of paid adoption leave, as well as during four weeks after the end of maternity and adoption leave. Dismissal is nonetheless permitted in case of a serious fault of the worker unrelated to pregnancy, or when the employer is unable to maintain the contract of employment for reasons unconnected with pregnancy, confinement or adoption. However, the dismissal or notice of dismissal may not take place during the periods of maternity and adoption leave.

Letter of notification: art. 1232-6 LC.
(Mandatory oral interview prior to written notification with possible representation by an adviser: art. L 1232-2 LC.)

According to art. L 1234-1 of the LC, the minimum mandatory notice period (excl. in cases of serious misconduct) is the following:
*1 month for tenure of more than 6 months and less than 2 years.
*2 months for at least 2 year-tenure.
*For tenure of less than 6 months, the notice period is to be defined by law, collective agreements or customs of the trade.

Note: In case of force majeure, no obligation to respect the notice period : art. L 1234-12 LC

Art. 1234-5 LC

See: art. L 1233-3 LC, art. L 1233-8 LC, art. L 1233-21 LC

NB: Special additional category: dismissals following bankruptcy: art. L 1233-58 LC.

* Dismissals concerning less than 10 employees over a 30 day period: art. L 1233-8 to L 1233-10.
* Dismissals concerning 10 or more employees over a 30 day period: art. L 1233-28 to L 1233-33 LC.

(Criminal penalties for failure to observe those requirements: art. L1238-2 LC)

* Less than 10 employees over a 30 day period of time: art. L 1233-19 LC.
* 10 or more employees over a 30 day period: art. L 1233-46 LC.

+ Criminal penalties for failure to observe the notification requirement: art. L 1238-4 LC.

* Less than 10 employees over 30 days: art. L 1233-8 to L 1233-10
*10 or more employees over 30 days: art. L 1233-28 to L 1233-33 LC.

Intervention of the administration: verifies the regularity of the procedure (with regard to information to the workers' representatives, adoption of social plan) and gives advisory opinion but no power to adopt binding decisions: See L 1233-52 to L 1233-57 LC.

However approval is requested prior to dismissal of some protected workers (i.e. trade union rep. : art. L 2411-3 LC).

Art. L 1233-5 LC:
Criteria to be used:
1) family responsibilities
2) length of service
3) social considerations: difficult re-entry in the labour market (in particular for elderly employees and disabled persons)
4) skills.

Art. L 1233-4 LC (general retraining and redeployment obligation applicable to any collective dismissal)
In particular:
*Mandatory "employment safeguard plan" (plan de sauvegarde de l'emploi) for enterprises with more than 50 employees in case of a collective dismissal concerning 10 or more employees over a 30 day period: art. L 1233-61 to L 1233-64 LC.
For failure to adopt a mandatory social plan, compensation awarded by the judge cannot be less than the last 12 month's wages (art. L1235-11 LC).

(In addition, depending on the size of the company, the following measures can be mandatory: "reclassification leave" (congé de reclassement), "individual reclassification programme" (convention de reclassement personnalisée), "revitilization of the labour market area" (revitalisation des bassins d'emploi): art. 1233-65 to L 1233-90 LC).

In case of dismissal of 10 or more employees over a 30 day period: preferential rehiring within a limit of 1 year and if requested by the employee: art. L 1235-45 LC.
See also art. L 1233-45 LC: non observance of the preferential right to re-employment entails compensation that shall amount to 2 months' wages).

Art. L 1234-9 LC (last amended by Act No 2008-596 of 25 June 2008): right to severance pay after a tenure of at least 1 year without interruption, except in case of serious misconduct.
The calculation modalities are determined by art. R 1234-2 LC:
The statutory minimum is 1/5 of monthly wages per year of service.
For employees with more than 10 years of service, 2/15 of the monthly wages multiplied by the number of years of service beyond 10 years should be added.

Ex:
Tenure of 1 year: 1/5 x 1 = 0.2
Tenure of 20 years: (1/5 x 20) + (2/15 x 10) = 5.33

No specific redundancy payment. Severance pay covers economic (individual and collective) dismissals (Art. L 1234-9 LC).

See art. L 1235-3 LC.

In addition, when the dismissal is justified by a serious and genuine cause but the employer fails to observe the prescribed procedure for individual dismissals, compensation awarded by the judge cannot exceed one month's wages (art. L 1235-2 LC).

Art. L 1235-3 LC :
The judge can prescribe reinstatement in case of absence of a serious and genuine cause.

Art. L 1411-1 LC: conciliation takes place before the conciliation section of the labour court "Conseil des Prudhommes".

Art. L 1411-1 LC

This duration is not specific to litigation procedures on individual dismissal but includes all cases brought before the "Conseil des Prud'hommes" for the year 2009.
It does not include appeal procedures.

Source: http://emploi.france5.fr/emploi/droit-travail/conflits/66844361-fr.php (last accessed in February 2011)

Statistics for 2007 - Source: Study of the French Ministry of Justice (2009)
(See: http://www.cabinet-catry.com/statistiques-des-conseils-des-prud-hommes_ad30.html)