Every year, nearly 21 million French people take at least one day off work for health reasons. Two out of three workers, both employees and job seekers, are affected by the sick leave procedure, a central part of French social security. But behind this massive figure lies a colossal financial stake: in 2024, sick leave fraud exploded, reaching nearly 30 million euros in wrongly paid benefits, almost four times more than in 2023. Faced with this trend, the Health Insurance is tightening the screw: from July 1, 2025, only a new, ultra-secure paper form will be used to validate a work stoppage.
A system under pressure
Until now, and with a medical prescription, an employee or job seeker could interrupt their activity, while receiving a daily allowance from Social Security, sometimes supplemented by the employer. A simple system, very popular with fraudsters. In 2024, the detection of fake sick leave certificates increased, driven by the circulation of falsified certificates, often acquired via social media or online platforms.
To counter this wave, the CPAM (Health Insurance Fund) will impose a new paper form from July 2025, inspired by banknote security techniques. This secure Cerfa (Form of Registration) will incorporate seven authentication points: specific paper, holographic label, magnetic ink, prescriber identification markers, invisible patterns, etc. The objective: to make falsification almost impossible and guarantee the authenticity of the document, just like the new secure prescriptions.
Electronic transmission remains the standard for 80% of sick leave certificates, but paper remains essential in certain situations, particularly during home visits or in the event of a computer failure. In these cases, the patient must imperatively send the original of the new form to the CPAM and their employer. Scans, photocopies, or old versions will be systematically refused and considered fraud attempts.
What impact for policyholders?
This security shift requires rapid adaptation by healthcare professionals, who will need to equip themselves with the new medium and familiarize themselves with its security features. Employers, for their part, will need to verify the authenticity of the certificates received, failing which they will be subject to sanctions if they accept a non-compliant document. For policyholders, vigilance is required: any transmission error, forgetting the original, or using an outdated form could lead to the blocking of benefits, or even prosecution for fraud.
The stakes are high: in addition to limiting fraud, the widespread use of the secure form also aims to accelerate reimbursements for bona fide policyholders and limit intrusive checks. Health Insurance hopes to recover millions of euros each year and preserve the balance of a system that is essential for French workers.
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