Phased retirement: changes as of September 1, 2025

What is phased retirement?

Gradual retirement is a scheme that enables people working part-time or reduced hours (with a few exceptions) to reduce their working hours at the end of their career, while simultaneously receiving part of their pension (basic and supplementary).
During this period, you continue to contribute to your pension and can choose to "surcotiser", i.e. contribute on the basis of a full-time salary to increase your entitlements.
When you stop working altogether, your final pension is recalculated to take account of this period of part-time or reduced work.

Increased HR leverage to support seniors, anticipate departures and enhance end-of-career benefits

Phased retirement remains a key issue for managing the end of a career and keeping seniors in work. The scheme has been extensively reformed, and will be modified as of September 1, 2025, to enable early retirement.

It is becoming more inclusive, clearer and more flexible, offering companies and employees alike an enhanced opportunity for active transition to retirement.

Progressive retirement: changes as of September 1, 2025

The framework for phased retirement has been radically overhauled to make it more accessible.

A single opening age of 60

The minimum age for phased retirement will be set at 60 for all, whereas it previously varied between 60 and 62 depending on the year of birth.

A minimum insurance period of 150 quarters

Access is reserved for working people with at least 150 quarters of service under all schemes combined (i.e. 37.5 years of career), including periods of contribution, assimilation, purchase or validation.

Part-time or reduced activity

To qualify for phased retirement, you must work part-time in one or more jobs.

• Hourly-paid employees: between 40% and 80% of the legal working week (i.e. 14 to 28 hours per week for a full-time 35-hour week), or of the applicable collective agreement.
• Flat-rate day-rate employees: between 87 and 174 days a year.

Calculating phased retirement and entitlements

The amount of progressive retirement is proportional to the time not worked.

Example: for an employee working 65% of a full-time schedule, 35% of his pension is paid on a provisional basis.

Please note: the employee continues to acquire rights during this phase. When the final pension settlement is made, a full recalculation is carried out, taking these new rights into account.

The benefits of phased retirement for seniors

A smooth transition to retirement, preserving social ties and meaning at work

• Maintaining a mixed income (salary + partial pension)
• Preserved access to collectivesocial benefits: supplementary health care, provident fund, employee savings, retirement savings, CE, RTT...

The benefits of phased retirement for companies

• Anticipating departures, planning replacements, maintaining experience
• Transferring skills through tutoring and mentoring young talent
• Enhanced commitment, sense of purpose and employer brand image
• Supporting employees' financial health right to the end
• Avoid long-term work stoppages and absenteeism, as phased retirement reduces workload and stress, while maintaining regular activity. This more appropriate pace limits physical and psychological fatigue, prevents burnout and reduces the risk of the onset or aggravation of pathologies that can lead to long-term illness (ALD).

How do I set up phased retirement?

• Employer agreement required (in both the private and public sectors)
• Reorganization of activity and management of residual workload
• Mandatory annual justification to pension funds (administrative follow-up required)

Operational recommendations for HR departments

• Raising awareness of the new system among managers and employees
• Integrate phased retirement into your GPEC (forward-looking management of jobs and skills) strategy
• Encourage the implementation of knowledge transfer plans (pairing, tutoring, handover support) and thus improve both onboarding and offboarding.
• Using phased retirement as a tool to attract and retain seniors

Table summarizing the benefits and limits of phased retirement

H2: Phased retirement: a strategic tool for 2025

The entry into force of the new phased retirement framework on September 1, 2025 represents a significant step forward. It aligns individual and collective interests, reconciling quality of life, keeping seniors active and efficient management of corporate skills.

It is now up to HR departments, managers and social partners to seize this opportunity to structure a responsible end-of-career policy, adapted to the aspirations of employees and to economic challenges.

H2: FAQs on phased retirement

What is phased retirement?

Phased retirement is a scheme that allows you to reduce your working hours at the end of your career, while receiving part of your basic and supplementary retirement pension and continuing to contribute.

Who can benefit from phased retirement?

It is open to salaried or self-employed workers, with some exceptions, aged 60 or over, who have validated 150 quarters and work between 40% and 80% of a full-time schedule.

How is the amount of phased retirement calculated?

It is proportional to the time not worked. For example, if you work 70%, you will receive 30% of your pension on a provisional basis.

Can I make additional contributions during my phased retirement?

Yes, it is possible to over-contribute on a full-time basis to increase your definitive pension rights (according to the rules in force in your scheme).

What happens at the end of the phased retirement period?

When you stop working completely, your pension is recalculated to include the rights acquired during the period of part-time or reduced working.

Is phased retirement automatic?

No, it requires a request to your pension fund and, for private-sector employees, the prior agreement of your employer.

Is it possible to combine phased retirement and self-employment?

Yes, from September 1, 2025, the phased retirement scheme is open to salaried employees and the self-employed (liberal professions, company directors, etc.), provided they meet the conditions of age, validated quarters and work share (40% to 80%).