Family hospice leave

I am caring for a close relative at the end of their life.

This difficult period requires my full attention and support, and I would like to be present to accompany my relative in their final moments.

I am entitled to a special leave.

Everything I need to know

What conditions must I meet to be entitled to leave?

I am entitled to family hospice leave to care for a relative suffering from a serious terminal illness if I am:

  • An employee ;
  • A civil servant working for the State, a local authority or a public institution;
  • An employee of the State, a local authority or a public institution;
  • Worker for the State, a local authority or a public institution.

I will be granted family hospice leave if the person I am caring for is:

  • My mother, daughter, mother-in-law or daughter-in-law, my father, son, father-in-law or son-in-law;
  • My sister or sister-in-law, brother or brother-in-law;
  • My spouse or legally recognised partner.

How long can I take family hospice leave?

The maximum duration of family hospice leave may not exceed 5 working days (40 hours) per cared-for relative per year. It may, however, be split, or I may take it part-time if my employer agrees.

Good to know: If I work part-time, I am also entitled to the maximum 40 hours of family hospice leave.

Shared leave

When several relatives apply for family hospice leave to care for the same dying relative, the total amount of leave granted cannot exceed 40 hours.

My leave ends on the date of my relative's death.

What do I have to do to get family hospice leave?

I send my request to the CNS

I send the CNS the 'Attestation pour l'octroi d'un congé d'accompagnement' (certificate of entitlement to family hospice leave) form on which the doctor certifies the serious terminal illness of the relative I wish to care for.

I also fill in and enclose the form 'Demande d'octroi d'un congé d'accompagnement d'une personne en fin de vie' (application for family hospice leave to accompany a person at the end of life).

Good to know: if the person at the end of life does not have a 13-digit Luxembourg identification number, I also send a copy of their birth certificate, family record book or identity card.

I receive the approval from the CNS

To confirm that I have been granted leave, the CNS sends me a family leave booklet (carnet d'accompagnement) to the address I gave on my application. This booklet includes:

Good to know: The CNS issues a single family leave booklet. If I am sharing the leave with other people, I must make it available to each of the beneficiaries taking the leave.

I inform my employer

No later than the 1st day of my absence for family hospice leave, I inform my employer.

When I actually take the leave, I fill in the 'justification of absence for family hospice leave' and complete it on the back with the appropriate number of labels, bearing in mind that one label corresponds to one hour's leave.

I send the proof(s) of absence to my employer.

If I share the leave, the other people taking leave for the same person at the end of life do the same with their employer.

Who pays me during my family hospice leave?

While I am on family hospice leave, my employer continues to pay my salary.

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