Romain Schneider Presents Social Security Proposals on Medical-Related Part-Time Work and Maternity Leave

Luxembourg Minister of Social Security, Romain Schneider, presented proposals to social partners on part-time work based on health grounds and the limit of 52 weeks for health and maternity insurance.

With regards to part-time work due to medical reasons, which would lead to a partial return to work, the main proposals include the maintenance of the health insurance benefits in their entirety during a partial recovery by the insured person and that the partial return to work would take place upon mutual agreement between the insured and the employer. Furthermore, Minister Schneider discussed the proposed introduction of flexibility with regard to the rate of recovery with 25%, 50% or 75% and the integration of additional flexibility with regard to the duration of the partial return to work.

Concerning the 52-week limit for health and maternity insurance, Romain Schneider proposed, among other things, to introduce a mechanism allowing to go beyond this limit in case of a new medical fact duly proven and documented upon assessment by the social security Medical Control, as well as adding up to a total of an extra 26 weeks to the 52-week limit. Moreover, exceeding the limit should be done in close collaboration with the employer to ensure its management in terms of human resources and to facilitate the subsequent full-time return of the employee.

These proposals follow the numerous exchanges that have been taking place for several years and also the proposals that had already been put forth by the minister in 2015, but on which an agreement between the social partners could not be reached.

At the meeting, the social partners welcomed the political will to move forward on these two issues to achieve the best possible solution.

The minister insisted that he wants to reach an agreement with the social partners that is in the interests of the people concerned, while respecting the constraints of employers in the management of their human resources.

After these first exchanges, the proposals will be discussed in more detail in the near future with the social partners.