Working hours and statutory leave
While working hours are a frequent topic of discussion in other countries, the Luxembourg Parliament has not recently considered any major reforms equivalent to a widespread reduction in working hours (such as a shift to a four-day workweek). However, social discussions and citizen initiatives aimed at improving work-life balance continue to fuel public debate.
Organization of working hours in Luxembourg
Legal working hours in Luxembourg companies
In Luxembourg, the standard workweek is 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week for full-time work.
The law permits overtime of up to 2 hours per day and up to 8 hours per week. The maximum working time may not exceed 10 hours per day or 48 hours per week.
Employees are entitled to daily and weekly rest periods. These rest periods must be:
- At least 11 hours per 24-hour period
- At least 44 consecutive hours per 7-day period.
Sunday work is generally prohibited. Certain sectors or professions are subject to regulated exceptions. Some small businesses are authorized to extend Sunday business hours, subject to specific conditions regarding company size or collective bargaining agreements.
The employment contract or the company’s internal regulations must specify fixed working hours.
Overtime in Luxembourg
Principle of overtime
Any hour of work exceeding the normal working hours is considered overtime.
In the case of overtime, the maximum working time must be limited to 10 hours per day or 48 hours per week.
The maximum working hours may be extended to 12 hours per day in certain cases:
- in certain sectors
- in certain professions
- during certain times of the year.
However, the weekly working hours must not exceed 40 hours, except in exceptional cases. The limit of a maximum of 48 hours of work per week does not apply in the case of work performed:
- to respond to an accident
- in an emergency.
Finally, employees may take time off in lieu of overtime worked or be compensated accordingly.
Overtime Work in Luxembourg
In exceptional circumstances, an employer may ask employees to work overtime.
However, overtime cannot apply to all employees. The law specifically protects:
- teenage employees,
- pregnant or breastfeeding employees or apprentices
- part-time employees
- temporary employees
- senior executives.
If an employee works overtime, the maximum working hours must not exceed 10 hours per day or 48 hours per week.
Overtime pay in Luxembourg
Overtime entitles the employee to:
- compensatory time off or
- to wage premiums.
In both cases, the premium is 40%.
In conclusion, paid overtime is tax-exempt and partially exempt from social security contributions.
Please note that senior executives do not receive additional compensation for overtime.
Flexibilization of the legal working hours in Luxembourg
More and more Luxembourg companies are offering their employees the option to manage their work hours to achieve a better work-life balance.
In practice, this means one afternoon off per month or the option to take two hours off for personal reasons, etc.
More information on ALEBA, the union for everyone in Luxembourg.
Telework
With the COVID-19 crisis, telework has grown significantly in Luxembourg. Telework is permitted in Luxembourg, subject to an agreement between the employee and their employer. This is, of course, contingent upon the necessary agreement between employees and their employers in compliance with the Labor Code and the specific rules of each company based on its sector of activity.
Since January 1, 2024, cross-border workers are now entitled to 34 days of remote work, with no tax implications in their country of residence.
Flexible Work Hours
Flexible working hours are arranged between the parties (employee and employer). This must be established within legal limits and in accordance with operational needs.
Flexible working hours in Luxembourg
An employee who is the parent of a child under the age of 9 suffering from a serious illness may request that their employer adjust their working hours. This adjustment may consist of flexible schedules, the ability to work remotely, or a reduction in working hours for a certain period. To be eligible, the employee must have been with the company for at least 6 months.
Work Organization Plan
If it so chooses, a company may establish a “Work Organization Plan” or “POT.” The POT determines employees’ working hours based on the company’s anticipated activity. The POT covers a reference period.
The POT may be implemented for a period of 1 to 4 months maximum. Any hours worked beyond this period must be compensated through overtime or additional leave.
Night Work in Luxembourg
Night work in Luxembourg is legal. It refers to hours worked between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. In the hotel and restaurant sector (Horeca), night work begins at 11 p.m. and ends at 6 a.m.
Night workers may work a maximum of 8 hours per 24-hour period over the course of a week. Collective bargaining agreements govern the premium pay for night hours.
Work on Sundays and Public Holidays in Luxembourg
With certain exceptions, working on Sundays and public holidays is prohibited in Luxembourg. In such cases, the worker must receive monetary compensation or compensatory time off.
This explains why stores are generally closed on public holidays and Sundays.
Rest periods in Luxembourg: legal provisions
General framework
After working more than 6 hours a day, every employee is entitled to one or more rest periods.
Breaks may or may not be paid. Only one rest period per day may be unpaid.
The duration of breaks is not prescribed by law. However, unpaid breaks are subject to a time limit. They may not exceed three hours, or four hours if required by the work schedule.
Right to Disconnect
Effective July 4, 2026, employers who fail to comply with obligations related to their employees’ right to disconnect may face penalties. A limit on work-related communications must be observed outside of normal working hours.
Lunch break during workdays
The lunch break often consists of an unpaid break from work.
In most cases, the individual employment contract specifies the lunch break. The applicable collective bargaining agreement may also specify the lunch break.
Coffee breaks and cigarette breaks
The employer may schedule coffee and cigarette breaks at their discretion. Whilegenerally tolerated and paid, it is recommended not to abuse them.
However, some companies require their employees to clock out during a cigarette break.
Breaks for breastfeeding in Luxembourg
A new mother may request breaks from work to breastfeed her child. The employer must then grant her breastfeeding time during her workday. Breastfeeding breaks count as working time. They entitle the employee to her normal pay.
Breastfeeding time consists of two periods of 45 minutes each. The first break must be taken at the start of the workday. The second breastfeeding break occurs at the end of her normal daily work schedule.
Finally, these two breaks may be combined into a single breastfeeding period of at least 90 minutes in the following cases:
- if the workday is interrupted by only one one-hour break
- if the mother cannot breastfeed her child in the vicinity of her workplace.
Employee Vacation Entitlements in Luxembourg
Statutory Annual Leave in Luxembourg
Every employee is legally entitled to 26 working days of paid annual leave.
In addition to these vacation days, there are 11 statutory holidays: New Year’s Day , Easter Monday, May 1 and May 9, Ascension Day, Whit Monday, National Day (June 23), Assumption Day, All Saints’ Day (November 1), Christmas Day and Boxing Day (December 25 and 26). If these holidays fall on a Sunday, they will be compensated with additional days off, in addition to the 26 days listed above.
When a public holiday falls on a non-working day (for example, a Sunday), the employee is entitled to a compensatory day off.
Employees may be entitled to additional days off under a collective bargaining agreement or agreements between the parties.
Sick Leave for Employees in Luxembourg
In Luxembourg, a sick employee is entitled to sick leave, which is strictly regulated by law.
To avoid putting yourself at risk with your employer, you can find more information here about sick leave.
Special leave for employees in Luxembourg
Employees are entitled to special leave in certain specific cases:
- Paternity leave upon the birth or adoption of a child under 16: 10 days
- Postnatal maternity leave: 12 weeks
- Leave for family reasons (sick child, except for serious illnesses):
- 12 days for a child between 0 and 4 years old
- 18 days for a child between 4 and 13 years old
- 5 days for a child between 13 and 18 years old
- Caregiver leave: 5 days to provide assistance or care to a household member or family member suffering from a serious illness
- Absence due to force majeure: 1 day
- Employee’s wedding: 3 days
- Civil partnership: 1 day
- Child’s wedding: 1 day
- Moving: 2 days (every 3 years)
- Death of a minor child: 5 days
- Death of a partner, spouse, first-degree relative, or their partner or spouse: 3 days
- Enlistment in military service: 1 day
Learn more about maternity and parental leave in Luxembourg.
Company-wide leave in Luxembourg
A company may decide to close for annual leave. In this case, the period of collective leave must be determined in advance with the employee representative body or, failing that, with the affected employees.
The employer must inform employees of the scheduled collective leave period no later than during the first quarter of the year.
Several collective bargaining agreements require companies to take collective summer and/or winter leave:
- construction and civil engineering sector
- ceiling and facade installers
- heating and plumbing installers.
The collective bargaining agreements for the building and civil engineering sectors mandate mandatory collective leave for employees each year. Lasting 15 working days during the summer and 10 working days during the winter, this measure affects approximately 18,000 people.
In practical terms, in Luxembourg, the month of August turns into a "Summerlach" or summer break. All construction sites—public or private—are shut down, except for exemptions granted by the Labor and Mines Inspectorate (ITM). This applies, for example, to work in schools, or in factories during production shutdowns, or upon request if the ITM deems the work urgent. However, a private individual carrying out construction work must comply with these rules.
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Rules for taking paid leave in Luxembourg
Setting vacation dates by the employee
The employee must schedule their annual leave at least one month in advance and notify their employer.
In principle, they may schedule their vacation days at their convenience. They must take their vacation in full during the current year. However, under certain conditions, annual leave may be carried over until December 31.
The employer may object to the employee’s vacation for operational reasons. However, the employer cannot impose specific vacation dates without the employee’s consent. Nor can the employer force the employee to take unpaid leave.
The employer’s repeated and unjustified refusal to grant leave constitutes misconduct. This may justify the employee’s resignation with immediate effect.
Taking Leave in Lieu in the Event of Employee Illness
If an employee becomes ill during their leave, they must immediately notify their employer. They must also provide a medical certificate within three business days.
The days covered by the medical certificate are considered sick leave. If the employee is no longer unable to work, they must return to work on the date initially agreed upon with the employer. The employee and the employer will then mutually agree on the employee’s new leave period.
Seeing a Doctor During Work Hours
It is not permitted to see a doctor during working hours. Only pregnant women are exempt from work to attend prenatal exams required by law.
However, an employee may request permission from their employer to visit a doctor during work hours. The employer is under no obligation to grant such permission.
Some collective bargaining agreements may, however, grant special leave for medical appointments.
Learn more about sick leave in Luxembourg and employee obligations.
Termination of the employment contract during employee leave
During the leave period, the employee is not protected against dismissal.
If the employment relationship ends before the employee has been able to take all of their leave, the employer must pay them the corresponding leave compensation.
If an employee who has been given notice of termination or has resigned is still entitled to vacation days, the employer cannot force them to take them during the notice period.
Similarly, the employer is not required to grant the employee leave during the notice period.
Want to learn more about labor laws and working conditions in Luxembourg? Click here.
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