Individual training leave
What is the “individual training leave”?
Persons who wish to develop their professional skills through training may benefit from this leave. For example: to participate in a course, prepare for and take exams, write a thesis.
Characteristics of individual training leave
Who is eligible for this training leave?
Employees
- If they hold a work position that is located in Luxembourg, regardless of their place of residence.
- If they are bound by an employment contract to a business or association legally established and active in Luxembourg.
- If they have worked for the employer for 6 months or more at the beginning of the leave. Employees may however submit their application for leave before having worked in the company for 6 months.
Self-employed workers and the liberal professions
- If they have been covered by the Luxembourg social security system for at least two years.
What kind of training is covered?
The leave covers training offered both in Luxembourg and abroad. The training does not have to be directly related to the current position.
Training may take place during working hours, in the evenings or on weekends.
Organisations offering training:
- Private or state schools if their activity is recognised by the public authorities
- Trade associations
- The communes
- Private foundations, individuals and associations accredited by the Minister of National Education
- Ministries, authorities, public establishments
Training undertaken and co-financed by other means are not eligible:
- Training courses included in a vocational training plan or project
- Training courses taken in the framework of training leave for staff representatives
- Training courses for safety officers (designated workers)
- Subsidised training courses such as schemes to promote the learning of the Luxembourgish language
- Training courses eligible for financial aid in the context of short-time work
The employee may contact the Vocational Training Department of the Ministry of National Education, Childhood and Youth by telephone or e-mail if they are not certain that their training is eligible for the granting of an individual training leave.
Ministry of National Education, Childhood and Youth
29, rue Aldringen
L 2926 Luxembourg
E-mail: info@men.lu
Tel: (+352) 247-85100
Fax: (+352) 247-85113
Postal address: L-2926 Luxembourg
Opening hours
Monday to Friday
8.30 - 11.30 a.m.
2 - 5 p.m.
How do the training days work?
Each worker is eligible for 80 days of individual training leave during their professional career.
These 80 days can be taken in several stages, provided the following conditions are respected:
- Minimum 1 day at a time
- Maximum 20 days over a period of 2 years.
The worker may recover 1/3 of the time devoted to training.
Calculation:
- Number of hours of training/8 hours (if full time) = number of days of training
- Number of days of training/3 = number of days of training leave
For part-time employees the days of training are calculated in proportion to the actual working time.
Example:
A full-time employee had 26 hours of training.
26/8 = 3.25 days of training
3.25/3 = 1.0833333 days of training leave, to be rounded down to the nearest whole number
Please note: An employee may apply for training leave to prepare for and take a diploma/certification requiring only personal revisions (no classroom presence).
It is then necessary to:
- ensure that the diploma/certification is eligible for the granting of individual training leave;
- determine in conjunction with the Institute concerned how many hours of personal work are recommended for the examinations.
Example: An employee wishes to take the CFA exam (Chartered Financial Analyst ). The CFA Institute recommends 300 hours of personal work for each exam, which entitles the employee to (maximum) 12 days of individual training leave.
What are the effects of training on pay?
Training leave is considered as an effective period of work. As such:
- It may not be deducted from the annual leave
- It must not be taken into consideration when calculating the days of annual leave due
The employee continues to benefit from the provisions regarding labour protection and social security.
Applying for training leave - employees
The employee must fill in the first part of the application for training leave. This form is then submitted to the employer.
The employer must fill in the relevant section of the form, stating its opinion and, if it is unfavourable, its reasons.
Please note: the employer may not refuse the application for training leave. It may simply ask for it to be postponed if the employee’s absence may affect the smooth operation of the company or the distribution of annual leave among the company’s staff. The leave may be postponed only once, for a maximum period of one year.
The employee then sends the form to the Vocational Training Department (Service de la formation professionnelle) of the Ministry of National Education, Childhood and Youth (MENEJ).
Documents to be enclosed with the application:
- Registration certificates stating the number of hours of training
- A copy of the employment contract
- A social security registration certificate
Deadline: the form must be sent 2 months before the start of the leave requested.
The MENEJ will rule on the application and send its approval or refusal by letter to the employee and the employer.
Remuneration of the employee
During the training leave, the employer pays the employee a financial compensation corresponding to the average daily wage. This compensation is capped: it may not exceed 4 times the social minimum wage for unskilled workers.
Then the employer is reimbursed by submitting an application for reimbursement to the MENEJ.
Documents to be enclosed with the reimbursement application:
- The participation certificates provided by the employee to the employer
- Pay slips for the corresponding period
- A certificate from the employer stating the exact dates of the training leave taken
- A copy of the ministerial approval
- A copy of the CCSS letter stating the rate of contribution to the Mutualité des employeurs (employers’ mutual insurance scheme).
Reimbursement: the MENEJ reimburses the employer the sum of the financial compensation, as well as the employers' share of the social security contributions.
Professional Training Service
29, rue Aldringen
L-1118 Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Postal address:
L-2926 Luxembourg
Tel: (+352) 247-85239
Fax: (+352) 247-4116
From Monday to Friday between 8:30 and 11:30 a.m. and 2 to 5 p.m.
Application for training leave - self-employed workers/ liberal professions
The self-employed worker applies for a training leave to the Vocational Training Department of the MENEJ.
Documents to be enclosed with the application:
- Registration certificates stating the number of hours of training
- A social security registration certificate
Deadline: the form must be sent at least 2 months before the start of the requested leave.
The MENEJ will rule on the application and send its approval or refusal by letter to the self-employed applicant.
Compensation for self-employed workers
The compensation of the self-employed worker is paid directly by the State.
It is set according to the income used for the last tax year as the contribution base for pension insurance. It is capped: it may not exceed 4 times the social minimum wage for an unskilled worker.
Procedure: the self-employed applicant must send an application for reimbursement to the MENEJ.
Documents to be enclosed:
- The Training participation certificates
- The income certificate used for the last tax year as the contribution base for pension insurance
- A copy of the ministerial approval
In case of false statements:
Compensation awarded must be refunded immediately when it has been obtained through inaccurate/incomplete statements and the beneficiary was aware of it.
The beneficiary will still have to pay the interest at the legal rate from the day of refund.
Sources and information: guichet.lu, itm.lu, code de droit du travail luxembourgeois
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