Covid-19: Special leave for family reasons and leave for family support

Special leave for family reasons and family support have been implemented in connection with the Covid-19 outbreak.

• The leave for family reasons in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic has been drawn up for parents affiliated with the Luxembourg social security scheme (including non-residents in Luxembourg) who have to look after their child(ren) who are:
  • less than 13 years of age (or between 13 and 18 years of age if hospitalized) under a quarantine or isolation measure decided by the Health Directorate;
  • vulnerable to COVID-19 provided that a medical certificate is produced attesting vulnerability and contraindication of attending school or a childcare facility; 
  • born after 1st September 2016 or before 1 September 2017 and under 13 years of age or have not left the basic education system and who cannot attend school (with or without distance learning) or the child care facility following a formal decision to close (partially of completely) the school or child care facility. A  specific certificate will be issued in this respect by the Ministry of Education (or the foreign competent authority in case of establishment located abroad);
  • under the age of 13 who cannot attend school or a child care facility following a formal decision to close it down for reasons related to the health crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. A specific certificate will be issued by the Minister of Education (or the foreign competent authority in case of establishment located abroad).

1. Both parents cannot take special leave for family reasons at the same time (same day/hour). The leave may be split, i.e. taken in hours or half-days depending on the decision of the Health Directorate or the competent authority. Unlike employees on telework, employees on short-time work are not eligible. Finally, the days taken as special leave for family reasons due to covid-19 crisis are not deducted from the days available for each age group with regards to the common rules on family leave.
2. The parent who needs to take this leave must inform the employer as early as possible, fill in the new form available online and send it to both National Health Fund (Caisse nationale de santé - CNS) and employer, together with the relevant certificates.
3. This special leave applies until 17 July 2021.

• Leave for family support (Covid-19) has been drawn up to enable employees to take care of a disabled adult or elderly person, following the closure of a day-care centre or a training or work structure. This special leave applies until 25 November 2021.
  
  A duly completed form and supporting documents must be submitted in this respect by email (soutien.familial@fm.etat.lu). Ministry of Family Affairs will issue a certificate which has the same value as a medical certificate. The leave may be divided among the members of a household, but they may not take the leave at the same time.