Are you working in Luxembourg and expecting a child? Would you like to take parental leave? All the answers to your questions can be found here. 👇
What is parental leave in Luxembourg?
There are 2 different types of parental leave:
- The first parental leave which must be taken successively to the birth or adoption of the child.
- The second parental leave must be taken before the child's 6th birthday.
If only one parent works in Luxembourg: the worker can choose between the two parental leaves.
If both parents work in Luxembourg: each parent is entitled to one of the parental leaves. Since October 1st, 2016, both parental leaves can be taken simultaneously by both parents.
What are the conditions for qualifying for parental leave?
- Raising the child in your household.
- Being affiliated with Luxembourg social security.
- Employment contract(s) must cover the entire duration of the parental leave, with at least 10 hours of work per week.
- No professional activity during full-time parental leave, or reduced partial activity during part-time parental leave.
I'm a cross-border worker, am I entitled to parental leave?
Yes. Any worker in Luxembourg is entitled to parental leave.
What is the duration of parental leave?
There are 3 possibilities:
- Full-time parental leave for 4 or 6 months (no professional activity).
- Part-time parental leave for 8 or 12 months: in this case, working hours must be reduced by half during the relevant period.
- Split parental leave with 2 modalities:
- A reduction of the work period by one day per week for 20 months.
- Or a reduction over 4 one-month periods for a maximum of 20 months (4 months not worked out of a total of 20 months).
What steps do I need to take?
You must inform your employer by registered letter no later than 2 months before the start of the first parental leave, and no later than 6 months before the second.
You also need to submit a request to the Caisse pour l'Avenir des Enfants (CAE) in Luxembourg by filling in a form available at www.cae.public.lu under "Procedures and forms" > "Application forms" > "Application for parental leave" (only available in French or German). Certain supporting documents must be sent.
What compensation is provided?
Your employer will not pay any salary during full-time parental leave. For part-time parental leave, your employer will pay 50% of your salary. For split leave, an employee who does not work one day a week will receive 80% of their salary, and an employee who does not work 4 months out of 20 will receive no salary for those 4 months.
The CAE will provide a replacement income depending on various criteria. It ranges between €2,054.68/month and €3,424.47/month for 2024
See also:
Pregnancy: what are my rights in Luxembourg?
Paternity leave in Luxembourg and the Greater Region
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