The government is currently in talks with social partners to introduce a new scheme that would allow employees to reduce their working hours by up to 10 percent in order to care for a child under the age of 13.
Labour Minister Marc Spautz met on Wednesday with representatives from both employer organisations and trade unions to discuss the proposal.
The measure, known as "part-time for family reasons", or "temps partiel pour raisons familiales", aims to give parents greater flexibility to balance work and family life.
However, trade unions have raised concerns that the option to reduce working hours, and therefore salary, will primarily benefit those on higher incomes who can afford to take a pay cut.
Both the Luxembourg Confederation of Christian Trade Unions (LCGB) and the Independent Luxembourg Trade Union Confederation (OGBL) warn that such arrangements carry significant risks, particularly for women.
Employer representatives are not opposed in principle to a right of return to full-time work after a period of reduced hours for family reasons, but insist that the terms and conditions for the new scheme should be clearly defined.
The Luxembourg Employers’ Association (UEL) has raised concerns that the draft proposal offers employees too much flexibility, particularly regarding the possibility to modify work schedules during the period of part-time work.
UEL president Michel Reckinger emphasised the need for clarity about what is permitted, for how long, and under which conditions.
The UEL maintains that the current general framework for organising working hours is lacking in flexibility, which is why any agreement on part-time work for family reasons or special leave entitlements is being linked to wider discussions on working time organisation.
Labour Minister Marc Spautz has confirmed that these issues will be discussed at the next meeting of the Standing Committee on Labour and Employment (CPTE) on 15 October.
Trade unions are open to discussions on the organisation of working hours, as long as any specific measures are negotiated through collective agreements.
LCGB has said that a lot is possible within that context, provided proper negotiation channels are respected.
The meeting also addressed the implementation of two European Union directives, which the government intends to transpose into national law as soon as possible.
OGBL president Nora Back highlighted that a number of important details still need to be resolved in both texts: the directive on pay transparency and the directive governing platform work.
The meeting marked Michel Reckinger’s last as UEL president, with Marc Lauer set to take over officially on 1 October.
