Familiäre Verpflichtungen
Vaterschaftsurlaub
There is no special entitlement defined as paternity leave. However, employees are entitled to "leave due to extraordinary circumstances" (special leave), which gives them the right to take two days off in the case of the birth or adoption of a child. The special leave is paid by the employer and covers 100% of the worker's earnings.
Under the law of 15 December 2017, applicable from January 2018, the paid paternity leave for fathers has been increased from 2 days to 10 days. These 10 days can be split and taken within the two months of the child's birth. A similar provision is applicable to parents on the adoption of a child under 16 years.
The Law of 29 July 2023 extends the 10-day birth leave to any person legally recognised as the child’s second parent under Luxembourg law, regardless of gender, and it also covers self-employed workers.
Sources: §233-16 of Labour Code 2006, last amended in 2025
Elternzeit
Parental leave is a special leave granted to parents on the birth or adoption of a child and can be availed before a child reaches the age of five years. The leave must be taken at least one and a half months before a child reaches the age of five years. Parental leave duration is six months. Parental leave cannot be split, i.e., it must be taken in full and at once (in one go). In agreement with the employer, parental leave may be availed part-time. In that case, the duration of leave is 12 months. Parental leave is an individual entitlement, and it cannot be transferred from one parent to the other. All employees are eligible for parental leave if they have worked for at least one year with the same employer (for at least 20 hours per week) and if they take care of the child at home.
Neither parent can take parental leave at the same time. If both parents apply for parental leave, the mother has priority. There is also first and second parental leave. The first parental leave is taken by either of the parents following maternity leave. The second parental leave is taken by the other parent until the child is 05 years old. Parental leave duration does not increase in the case of multiple births or single parents. There is also provision for an unpaid parental leave of four months if a parent does not take the first parental leave and wishes to reserve the second parental leave for the other parent.
Employment relationship is suspended during parental leave; the employer is not required to pay an employee during parental leave of six months (full-time leave). During parental leave of 12 months (part-time leave), workers are entitled to at least 50% of their earnings. Parents are entitled to a monthly allowance (flat rate) paid by the National Fund for Family Services (CNPF). The parental leave allowance is set at a flat rate for full-time leave and for part-time leave, regardless of the beneficiary's work before parental leave.
Under the amendment in the Labour Code in 2023, employers must now provide a written, reasoned response within 2 weeks if they refuse to split or part-time parental leave, invite the parent to the meeting, and propose an alternative arrangement in writing. If no agreement is reached, the parent retains the right to full-time parental leave (4 or 6 months). When postponing the second parent's leave, employers must also justify the decision in writing within 4 weeks and, where possible, offer an alternative schedule.
Sources: §234(43-48) of Labour Code 2006, last amended in 2025; §306 of Social Security Code 1925, last amended in 2013
Flexible Arbeitsoption für Eltern / Ausgleich mit dem Arbeitsleben
In April 2019, Luxembourg introduced a system of time banking for private sector employees to enhance flexible working and improve work-life balance.
A ‘time savings account’ (TSA) may be established by an organisation for its workers who have completed two years of service. A TSA may be established by a collective bargaining agreement, sectoral or national agreement. However, TSA is optional, and an employee cannot be required to use it. The TSA can be credited with the additional annual leave days granted above the 26-day annual leave, overtime, and compensatory rest days resulting from Sunday work. The maximum time credit is, however, limited to 1800 hours. A worker may use their banked hours after submitting a written request. However, it should not conflict with the work requirements or other workers’ requests for time off. A worker using hours from TSA is considered to be on paid leave. The worker has the right to return to their work on completion of the requested time off.
The 2023 work-life balance reform introduced carers' leave and a right to request flexible working arrangements. Carers' leave is a 5-day special leave for employees who need to provide personal care or assistance to a family member or to a person living in the same household.
The above 2023 reform also gives eligible employees (notably parents of children under 9 and carers, subject to the statutory service condition) access to requests for flexible arrangements such as remote work, adjusted schedules or reduced working time. Those requests should be handled through the statutory process rather than rejected informally.
Source: §234.47(11), 236.1 of the Labour Code, last amended in 2025
Zusätzlicher Urlaub aus besonderen Gründen
Under the Labour Code, employees are granted paid extraordinary leave for personal events:
-
1 day for the death of a second-degree relative
-
1 day for the child’s marriage
-
1 day for urgent family reasons (illness/accidents)
-
2 days for moving house (once every 3 years)
-
3 days for the death of the spouse, partner, or a first-degree relative
-
3 days for marriage and 1 day for the partnership declaration
-
5 days for caring for a seriously ill family member
-
5 days for the death of a minor child
Employees are granted leave with full pay; some costs are reimbursed by the state from certain hours onward. During leave, the employment contract is maintained; dismissal for requesting or taking such leave is null and void. Leave cannot be carried forward.
Employees are also granted youth leave, sports leave, cultural leave, development corporation leave, training leave, and accompanying leave.
Source: §233.16, and Chapter 4 (Special Leave) of the Labour Code, last amended in 2025
Vaterschaftsurlaub
There is no special entitlement defined as paternity leave. However, employees are entitled to "leave due to extraordinary circumstances" (special leave), which gives them the right to take two days off in the case of the birth or adoption of a child. The special leave is paid by the employer and covers 100% of the worker's earnings.
Under the law of 15 December 2017, applicable from January 2018, the paid paternity leave for fathers has been increased from 2 days to 10 days. These 10 days can be split and taken within the two months of the child's birth. A similar provision is applicable to parents on the adoption of a child under 16 years.
The Law of 29 July 2023 extends the 10-day birth leave to any person legally recognised as the child’s second parent under Luxembourg law, regardless of gender, and it also covers self-employed workers.
Sources: §233-16 of Labour Code 2006, last amended in 2025
Elternzeit
Parental leave is a special leave granted to parents on the birth or adoption of a child and can be availed before a child reaches the age of five years. The leave must be taken at least one and a half months before a child reaches the age of five years. Parental leave duration is six months. Parental leave cannot be split, i.e., it must be taken in full and at once (in one go). In agreement with the employer, parental leave may be availed part-time. In that case, the duration of leave is 12 months. Parental leave is an individual entitlement, and it cannot be transferred from one parent to the other. All employees are eligible for parental leave if they have worked for at least one year with the same employer (for at least 20 hours per week) and if they take care of the child at home.
Neither parent can take parental leave at the same time. If both parents apply for parental leave, the mother has priority. There is also first and second parental leave. The first parental leave is taken by either of the parents following maternity leave. The second parental leave is taken by the other parent until the child is 05 years old. Parental leave duration does not increase in the case of multiple births or single parents. There is also provision for an unpaid parental leave of four months if a parent does not take the first parental leave and wishes to reserve the second parental leave for the other parent.
Employment relationship is suspended during parental leave; the employer is not required to pay an employee during parental leave of six months (full-time leave). During parental leave of 12 months (part-time leave), workers are entitled to at least 50% of their earnings. Parents are entitled to a monthly allowance (flat rate) paid by the National Fund for Family Services (CNPF). The parental leave allowance is set at a flat rate for full-time leave and for part-time leave, regardless of the beneficiary's work before parental leave.
Under the amendment in the Labour Code in 2023, employers must now provide a written, reasoned response within 2 weeks if they refuse to split or part-time parental leave, invite the parent to the meeting, and propose an alternative arrangement in writing. If no agreement is reached, the parent retains the right to full-time parental leave (4 or 6 months). When postponing the second parent's leave, employers must also justify the decision in writing within 4 weeks and, where possible, offer an alternative schedule.
Sources: §234(43-48) of Labour Code 2006, last amended in 2025; §306 of Social Security Code 1925, last amended in 2013
Flexible Arbeitsoption für Eltern / Ausgleich mit dem Arbeitsleben
In April 2019, Luxembourg introduced a system of time banking for private sector employees to enhance flexible working and improve work-life balance.
A ‘time savings account’ (TSA) may be established by an organisation for its workers who have completed two years of service. A TSA may be established by a collective bargaining agreement, sectoral or national agreement. However, TSA is optional, and an employee cannot be required to use it. The TSA can be credited with the additional annual leave days granted above the 26-day annual leave, overtime, and compensatory rest days resulting from Sunday work. The maximum time credit is, however, limited to 1800 hours. A worker may use their banked hours after submitting a written request. However, it should not conflict with the work requirements or other workers’ requests for time off. A worker using hours from TSA is considered to be on paid leave. The worker has the right to return to their work on completion of the requested time off.
The 2023 work-life balance reform introduced carers' leave and a right to request flexible working arrangements. Carers' leave is a 5-day special leave for employees who need to provide personal care or assistance to a family member or to a person living in the same household.
The above 2023 reform also gives eligible employees (notably parents of children under 9 and carers, subject to the statutory service condition) access to requests for flexible arrangements such as remote work, adjusted schedules or reduced working time. Those requests should be handled through the statutory process rather than rejected informally.
Source: §234.47(11), 236.1 of the Labour Code, last amended in 2025
Zusätzlicher Urlaub aus besonderen Gründen
Under the Labour Code, employees are granted paid extraordinary leave for personal events:
-
1 day for the death of a second-degree relative
-
1 day for the child’s marriage
-
1 day for urgent family reasons (illness/accidents)
-
2 days for moving house (once every 3 years)
-
3 days for the death of the spouse, partner, or a first-degree relative
-
3 days for marriage and 1 day for the partnership declaration
-
5 days for caring for a seriously ill family member
-
5 days for the death of a minor child
Employees are granted leave with full pay; some costs are reimbursed by the state from certain hours onward. During leave, the employment contract is maintained; dismissal for requesting or taking such leave is null and void. Leave cannot be carried forward.
Employees are also granted youth leave, sports leave, cultural leave, development corporation leave, training leave, and accompanying leave.
Source: §233.16, and Chapter 4 (Special Leave) of the Labour Code, last amended in 2025
