How does maternity leave work in Luxembourg (eligibility, pay, how to request it from the CNS)?

Every pregnant worker, whether employee, apprentice or self-employed, is entitled to maternity leave, provided she has been affiliated to health and maternity insurance for at least 6 months in the 12 months before the leave starts.

How long it lasts:

• 8 weeks of prenatal leave before the expected due date;
• 12 weeks of postnatal leave after the actual birth.

If the baby arrives early, the prenatal days not taken are added after the birth, so the total stays 20 weeks. If the baby arrives late, prenatal leave is extended and you still get the full 12 weeks afterwards.

How to request it from the CNS:

• Ask your doctor (not a midwife) for a medical certificate stating the expected due date. It must be issued during the last 12 weeks of pregnancy: an earlier certificate is refused.
• Send it to the CNS with the online 'Declaration of maternity' form or by post, and give your employer a copy.
• After the birth, send the CNS your baby's birth certificate.

The CNS maternity calculator (opens in a new tab) shows your key dates, including the first day your certificate can be issued.

Pay: during the leave the CNS, not your employer, pays a maternity benefit. For employees it is based on the highest salary of the 3 months before the leave, plus the average of any additional pay over the previous 12 months. For self-employed workers it is based on their contribution base. It cannot be lower than the social minimum wage or higher than five times that wage.

Your employment contract continues: the leave counts for annual leave and seniority, and you are protected against dismissal until 12 weeks after the birth.

If you want parental leave straight after maternity leave, apply to your employer at least 2 months before maternity leave starts.