As part of the measures implemented in schools and childcare facilities to combat the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus (COVID-19), a child may have to be placed in quarantine or isolation by order or recommendation of the Health Directorate, respectively the competent authority.

In these 2 specific cases, and when the parents of the children concerned have to look after their child, one of the parents is entitled to use the leave for family reasons scheme for the duration of the quarantine or isolation period decreed or recommended by the Health Directorate or the competent authority.

Days taken as leave for family reasons because a child is quarantined or isolated are not deducted from the legal days of leave available per age group, the length of which depends on the age of the child.

Who is concerned

Parents concerned

Any parent who:

• is an employee (on a fixed-term contract, permanent contract or trial period); or
• is a self-employed and non-salaried worker; or
• is an apprentice; and
  
• is registered with social security in Luxembourg; and
  
• has a dependent child up to the age of 18; and
  
• has to look after this child because of a quarantine or isolation measure decided or recommended by the Health Directorate or the competent authority (mainly for children attending school abroad).

Leave for family reasons may not be taken by both parents (or spouses) at the same time (same day/hour).

These limitations do not apply in the case of telework that remains work performed from home and during which the parent cannot provide care for the child. Therefore, when one parent is teleworking, the other parent can make use of family leave during the teleworking hours or days.

Children

All children:

• up to the age of 18;
• attending school in Luxembourg or abroad.

They can be:

• a child born in wedlock;
• a child born out of wedlock;
• an adopted child.

Exemption from the age limit:

The age limit of 18 does not apply to children receiving the special supplementary allowance (children with a permanent deficiency or permanent loss of at least 50 % of their physical or mental capacity in comparison with a normal child of the same age).

Prerequisites

The quarantine or isolation measure must be decided or recommended by the Health Directorate. A prescription or recommendation letter is then given to the parent concerned.

For children residing abroad but whose parents are affiliated in Luxembourg, it is the competent authority in the country in question which takes the decision to place them in quarantine or isolation. It must then draw up a certificate or attestation of this decision or recommendation.

How to proceed

Filing an application

A parent who needs to take leave for family reasons must inform his/her employer as quickly as possible, either verbally or in writing, and indicate the start and end date of said leave.

Subsequently, the parent must complete the application form for leave for family reasons due to the quarantine or isolation of the child, sign it and send it to the National Health Fund (CNS) and his or her employer, attaching the prescription or recommendation letter issued by the Health Directorate or the competent foreign authority.

Sending documents to the CNS (for employees)

The application can be sent either electronically or by post.

Electronic submission

There are 2 ways of electronically sending the family leave form and the required documents (prescription, certificate or attestation) to the CNS:

• print the family leave form, sign it by hand, scan or take a good quality photo of the form and the required supporting documents and send them by email to cns-crf@secu.lu; or
• save the application form for leave for family reasons on your computer, complete it electronically using Adobe Acrobat Reader, sign it electronically with a LuxTrust smartcard, and send it by email, together with a scan of the certificate.

The subject line of the mail must contain your 13-digit national identification number.

Submission by post

The family leave form and supporting documents can be sent by post. You should print out the form, sign it by hand, and send it to the following address, together with the required certificate:

CNS
Indemnités pécuniaires
L-2980 Luxembourg

The form and the required certificate must be sent by normal mail (not registered mail).

Procedure for the self-employed and non-salaried workers

Self-employed and non-salaried persons must complete the form and send it at the end of the period to the CNS, together with the required supporting documents:

• by email to cns-crf-nonsalaries@secu.lu, including the 13-digit national identification number in the subject line; or
• by regular mail (not registered) to the address CNS Indemnités pécuniaires L-2980 Luxembourg

The days that have been taken must be clearly indicated.

Duration of and conditions for granting leave

Days spent in quarantine or isolation by the child are not counted against the legal days of leave for family reasons available per age group.

Leave for family reasons may be split, i.e. it may also be taken in hours or half-days depending on the decision of the Health Directorate or the competent authority.

Both parents cannot take leave for family reasons at the same time (same day/hour).

Obligation to inform the employee's employer

On the day of their absence, regardless of the duration of the child's illness, the beneficiary of the leave for family reasons must notify their employer, or the latter's representative, in person or through an intermediary, either orally or in writing.

Good to know

For questions:

• of a purely technical nature regarding this type of leave for family reasons, the body to contact is the National Health Fund (CNS);
• directly related to the placement in quarantine/isolation of a child, the body to contact is the Health Directorate.
  

Forms / Online services

Who to contact