Work stoppages and sick leave

Are you an employee in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg? What are your rights and obligations in the event of illness? What do you need to know to be eligible for sick leave? Just Arrived provides you with an overview of sick leave and sick days in Luxembourg.

What are your obligations as a sick employee in Luxembourg?

Are you sick and unable to go to work? In order to comply with Luxembourg labor laws and avoid problems with your employer, you must follow a number of rules.

Notify your employer on the first day of absence

On the first day of absence, you must notify your employer as soon as possible, either by phone or in writing. If you are unable to do so yourself, a third party may do so on your behalf.

However, in the event of a dispute, you must be able to prove that you did inform your employer of your inability to come to work.

Provide a medical certificate from the third day of absence

If you are sick, you must provide a medical certificate from the third day of absence.

You must send this certificate of incapacity for work to your employer and the National Health Fund within a maximum of 3 days of absence. In the event of serious hospitalization and in an emergency, the employee has a period of 8 days.

You are not required to provide a medical certificate to your employer for absences of less than 2 working days, unless your employer expressly requests it.

Failure to comply with these obligations may result in immediate dismissal.

You must therefore notify your employer on the first day of absence and submit your sick note within a maximum of 3 days.

Electronic sick leave certificates

Certificates of incapacity for work have been issued in electronic format since January 5, 2026 (eCIT). This new procedure applies to sick leave, family leave, and maternity leave.

If your doctor and employer are equipped to do so, you can submit your sick note online, without having to send it by post. To do this, you simply need to have a personal account on MyGuichet.lu. Your certificate will be made available there and can then be sent directly to the CNS and your employer.

The deadlines remain unchanged: the certificate must be sent to the CNS no later than the third working day following the start of the sick leave. The paper format is still available if you prefer to ask your doctor for a printed version.

This system allows for faster, more secure, and more reliable processing, while reducing paperwork, the risk of document loss, and paper use—a significant advantage, especially for people who have recently moved to Luxembourg.

In the event of an extension of the initial sick leave

If the initial sick leave is extended, the employee must send a new medical certificate justifying this extension to their employer and the CNS within two business days of the originally scheduled return date.

If the employee falls ill during their vacation days, they may subsequently take an equivalent number of vacation days. This must be done in consultation with their employer and upon presentation of a medical certificate.

Permission to leave the home during sick leave

In the event of sick leave, the employee may not leave their home for the first 5 days of leave, even if the doctor authorizes them to do so.

After five days of incapacity for work, the employee may leave their home or the place of residence indicated to the CNS only between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. in the morning and between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. in the afternoon.

The following exceptions are permitted:

• on the first day for food shopping, after notifying the CNS
• to attend medical appointments or meetings with health authorities in connection with the sick leave.

The CNS is able to check on sick employees, either on its own initiative or at the employer's request. These checks may also be carried out abroad for cross-border workers on sick leave.

These checks may be carried out between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. at the home or place of residence indicated by the sick employee. Employees who are absent during these checks must justify their absence from their place of residence. They may be subject to a fine.

Stays abroad may be authorized during a period of incapacity for work in certain specific cases. This is particularly the case for serious illness or disability, entitlement to palliative care, the death of a relative abroad, etc.

Sickness benefits paid to employees

The employer is responsible for paying sick pay to employees who are unable to work until the 77th day of absence. The National Health Fund takes over after 77 days.

Sick employees receive their full net salary and benefits until the end of the 77th day of incapacity. Beyond that, they will receive their basic salary, supplements, and allowances.

Check with your employer and your collective agreement to see if any specific provisions apply to your company in the event of illness.

Professional exhaustion and burnout in Luxembourg

In Luxembourg, 43% of employees say they experience stress at work. When do we talk about burnout? What are the symptoms? How should you respond to professional exhaustion? How can it be treated? What does Luxembourg law say on the subject?

Although burnout is not yet included in the list of "occupational diseases," it is the subject of awareness and information campaigns, as well as training courses. Those affected can count on the support of numerous specialists and dedicated organizations.

How can burnout be prevented?

Burnout is a state of depression linked to the work environment. It usually stems from a difficult situation at work that persists over time.

Burnout is emotional, physical, and psychological exhaustion. The symptoms are generally similar to those of depression, although often less pronounced:

• Fatigue and feelings of despondency,
• Irritability, emotionality, anxiety, and feelings of insecurity,
• Feelings of failure, incompetence, and loss of self-confidence,
• Difficulty concentrating, memory loss, loss of interest in work,
• Muscle pain (back pain, migraines, etc.),
• Cynicism towards work, dehumanization of relationships with isolation in relationships
• Feelings of incompetence, desire to give up with a high risk of breakdown. In the most severe cases, there may be a risk of stroke or heart attack.

It is therefore urgent to take action before it is too late. If symptoms appear, it is advisable to consult your family doctor or a psychologist.

Luxembourg law on burnout

Professional exhaustion affects nearly two in ten employees. No less than a third of them are at high risk of burnout.

However, burnout is not recognized as an illness in the Grand Duchy, unlike in neighboring Belgium and France.

Nevertheless, more and more companies and associations are working to raise awareness of the problem among the working population. This is particularly the case with ASTF, IMS, and the HR community POG. Training, information, advice, and conferences are provided for employees as well as human resources departments.

Would you like to defend your rights? Find out more from ALEBA, the Luxembourg Association for Employees in Need of Assistance.

Useful addresses for burnout in Luxembourg

Stressberodung by the Chamber of Employees

In collaboration with the Luxembourg Mental Health League (LLHM), the Chamber of Employees offers a free consultation service to employees suffering from stress at work. " Stressberodung" provides psychological support to workers to help them manage their stress.

Consultations, limited to a maximum of five, are available Monday through Friday, by appointment, at the Chamber of Employees' offices in Luxembourg-Merl. Individual consultations are available in Luxembourgish, French, German, or English.

Stress Prevention and Management Association

The Luxembourg and Greater Region Association for Stress Prevention and Management (APGS) aims to prevent and manage stress-related illnesses.

People suffering from depression or burnout have the opportunity to participate in physical and psycho-physical activities, tailored to the participants and supervised by health professionals specializing in therapeutic education.

Please note: a medical certificate stating that there are no contraindications is required in order to participate in the activities.

Burnout Prevention and Support Center

The Burnout Prevention and Support Center (CPA Burnout) aims to create a space for listening and discussion around burnout.

It offers individual care, workshops, and training, as well as programs tailored to businesses. The unit is made up of a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals.

Cap Prevent Burnout

Cap Prevent Burnout is a multidisciplinary support unit. It aims to prevent stress at work and provides care for people suffering from burnout.

The unit offers consultations, practical workshops, and discussion groups. These activities are supervised by a team of complementary professionals: a psychiatrist, a coach, a neuropsychologist, etc.

Wellbeing at Work

Wellbeing at Work is a private organization specializing in promoting health and well-being at work. It offers support, action plans, conferences, coaching sessions, training, and awareness campaigns.

Find out more about the world of work in Luxembourg and the field of health.