Maternity, Paternity and Parental Leave in Luxembourg: Your Rights Explained

Luxembourg offers some of the most generous family-leave rules in Europe, but the three schemes work differently and are paid by different institutions. Knowing the durations, deadlines and protections in advance helps parents avoid losing entitlements.

Maternity leave: 20 weeks, paid by the CNS

Maternity leave (conge de maternite) totals 20 weeks: 8 weeks before the presumed date of birth and 12 weeks after the actual birth. If the baby arrives early, untaken prenatal days are added on after the birth, but the total never exceeds 20 weeks. If the baby arrives late, prenatal leave is extended to the real birth date without shortening the 12 postnatal weeks.

During maternity leave the employer does not pay your salary. Instead the Caisse nationale de sante (CNS) pays a maternity allowance (indemnite pecuniaire de maternite) based on your highest salary in the three months before the leave, capped between the social minimum wage and five times the social minimum wage. You are protected against dismissal from the start of the pregnancy and throughout the leave.

Paternity and co-parent leave: 10 days

The second parent is entitled to 10 days of leave (conge de paternite) on the birth or adoption of a child. This applies to fathers and to any person legally recognised as the child's second parent, whether employee, apprentice or self-employed.

The 10 days must be taken within two months of the birth. You must inform your employer in writing two months before the expected date. The first 16 hours are borne by the employer; the State reimburses the rest on the employer's request via MyGuichet.lu. In the case of multiple births, the entitlement applies per child.

Parental leave: 4 or 6 months per parent, paid by the CAE

Parental leave (conge parental) is separate from the two above. Each parent is entitled to one parental leave per child, and the entitlement is individual and non-transferable.

For a full-time worker, parental leave can be taken as:

• Full-time for 4 or 6 months;
• Part-time at 50% over 8 or 12 months (employer agreement required);
• Split as four one-month blocks, or one to two days a week, spread over a maximum of 20 months (employer agreement required).

The first parental leave must begin immediately after maternity or adoption leave; if it is not taken then, it is lost. The second parental leave can be taken any time before the child turns 6 (12 for adoption).

During parental leave the Caisse pour l'avenir des enfants (CAE) pays a monthly income-replacement allowance, capped at 5/3 of the social minimum wage and never below it. As of 30 April 2025, the full-time allowance ranges from EUR 2,703.74 to EUR 4,506.23 per month. Part-time and split formulas are paid pro rata.

When to apply and how your job is protected

Deadlines are strict. For the first parental leave, notify your employer at least 2 months before maternity leave starts. For the second, give at least 4 months' notice before the planned start. Protection against dismissal runs from 2 months and 1 day before the first leave (and 4 months and 1 day before the second) until it ends.

Applications for the parental-leave allowance go to the CAE, which is the sole body competent to grant it. The CAE provides an online calculator to estimate your gross monthly amount.

Key takeaways

Maternity leave (20 weeks, CNS), paternity leave (10 days, State-reimbursed) and parental leave (4 or 6 months, CAE) stack: a parent can chain maternity leave directly into a first parental leave. Apply early, keep the written deadlines, and use the official CAE calculator before you commit to a formula.

Last reviewed: June 2026. Figures and rules are based on official sources (guichet.public.lu, CAE, CNS) and may change. Always confirm current amounts and deadlines on the official portals before applying.