Are women entitled to breastfeeding breaks in Luxembourg?

Breastfeeding mothers are often made to feel as though they need to give up breastfeeding upon their return to work after maternity leave, for fear of attracting negative attention, sanctions, or being told "no" by their managers.

However, in Luxembourg, breastfeeding women benefit from special legal protection which enables them to take pumping breaks while at work. Employers are bound by law to grant regular breaks for employees to express milk upon their return from maternity leave, if they so request.

The breaks are distributed as follows:

• either in 2 periods of 45 minutes, at the start and end of their normal daily schedule;
• or in a single period of at least 90 minutes when the working day is only interrupted by a one-hour break, and/or the woman cannot breastfeed her child near the workplace.

Medical certificates required

The nature of these breastfeeding breaks can allow mothers to start work late and return home early in order to breastfeed their child, or, depending on the employee's choice, take regular breaks at their workplace in order to express milk in solitude.

According to the ITM (Inspectorate of Labour and Mines), breastfeeding or pumping breaks are authorised in line with the number of hours worked by the employee in question, ensuring that part-time staff are entitled to the same benefits as full-time employees. A staff member who works just one hour per day is therefore entitled to an 11-minute break if required.

The breaks are considered working time and must therefore be paid as such.

Employers may request a medical certificate confirming that the employee is breastfeeding their child.

Protections in place for breastfeeding women

Employers may not ask breastfeeding staff to work overtime if they do not wish to work additional hours outside of their contracted hours. Breastfeeding women are also exempt from any dangerous tasks or night work.