Leave for family reasons

When a child requires special care and attention due to illness, an accident or isolation measures, it is essential to be by their side during their convalescence.

Leave for family reasons may be authorised by the CNS to accompany a child in these situations.

In a nutshell

In the event of the child falling ill or having an accident requiring the presence of a parent, a professional absence may be justified in order to remain at their side. On this page, it is possible to consult the conditions to be met and the procedures to be followed to obtain leave for family reasons.

What is the duration, the formalities to be completed and the conditions of compensation?

The CNS will assist and guide you through this process.

Everything you need to know

Eligibility conditions for leave for family reasons

The right to leave for family reasons may be granted to any employee or self-employed person under the following conditions:

  • If a child under the age of 13 is subject to isolation measures, decided or recommended by a competent authority to limit the spread of an epidemic.
  • If the state of health of a child under 18 requires the presence of a parent at their side.

Please note! In the second case, the age limit does not apply to children receiving a special supplementary allowance.

Good to know: Leave for family reasons is also authorised for a child born in or out of wedlock or adopted.

Length of leave for family reasons

The length of leave for family reasons varies according to the age of the child. For each age group and per child, the total number of days of leave is as follows:

  • 12 days of leave from birth up to the age of 3;
  • 18 days of leave from the age of 4 up to the age of 12;
  • 5 days of leave from 13 to 17 years, subject to hospitalisation.

Please note!

The hospitalisation condition does not apply if the child is receiving a special supplementary allowance.

The total number of days of leave is fixed for each age group and is not reset to 0 at the beginning of each year.

Good to know

Leave for family reasons can be split. Thus, a fraction of four hours or less is counted as half a day.

Both parents are entitled to the same number of days, but cannot take leave for family reasons at the same time.

The balance of days of leave for family reasons can be consulted by the parent(s) on MyGuichet.lu. Only the parent concerned is authorised to communicate the balance of days to the employer, if the latter so requests

Conditions for extending leave for family reasons

Leave for family reasons may be extended in the following cases:

  • If a child suffers from an exceptionally serious illness or disability, namely:
    • Cancer in an evolutionary phase;
    • Pathology requiring hospitalisation in an acute sector for a period exceeding two consecutive weeks
  • If the child is subject to quarantine, isolation, exclusion or stay-at-home measures for compelling public health reasons decided or recommended by the competent authorities with a view to limiting the spread of an epidemic (law of 22.01.2021).
  • In this case, the certificate from the competent authority (Direction/Inspection de la Santé for Luxembourg) must be sent to the CNS.

Procedures to follow to obtain leave for family reasons

Documents to be provided

In the event of illness or accident of the child, a medical certificate must be provided, attesting to:

  • The illness or accident;
  • The compulsory presence of one of the parents with the child;
  • The duration of this compulsory presence.

If the child is subject to isolation, a certificate issued by the competent authority must be provided, attesting to the decision or recommendation concerning the measure.

Deadline for sending

The certificate must be sent to the CNS, together with the identification numbers of the child and the parent, before the end of the third working day of absence. The postmark shall be taken as proof.

In addition, the employer or his representative must be informed, orally or in writing, from the first day of absence.

How to send

By post

Caisse nationale de santé
Indemnités pécuniaires
L-2980 LUXEMBOURG

(Letter not stamped from Luxembourg)

By online form
Access to the contact form

Benefits during leave for family reasons

For employees

As an employee in the private sector, your employer will generally continue to pay your salary during leave for family reasons.

Good to know: If the continued payment of your salary ends, the compensation will be paid directly by the CNS.

Please note! Leave for family reasons will only be covered if it is declared to the CNS with the medical certificate, and if the employer also makes the declaration to the Social Security Centre.

CCSS: Declare incapacity for work

For the self-employed

The self-employed affiliated to the Employers' Mutual Insurance Fund (Mutualité des employeurs) must also declare their leave for family reasons to the CNS, providing a medical certificate, in order to receive compensation.

Information on the website of the "Mutualité des employeurs"

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