In 2021, 177 women and 131 men took four months of parental leave, family minister Corinne Cahen revealed on 30 March in answer to a parliamentary question. While for women this number increased in comparison to 2020 (165), for men, the number decreased: 150 fathers took time off the year prior.

When it came to those taking a six months leave, the gap between genders is more drastic: compared to 6,050 women, 3,514 men took the six months option. In Luxembourg, workers can choose between different types of leave; they can either take 4 or 6 months full-time absence, 8 months part-time leave, 12 months part-time leave, 4 times one month off over a period of 20 months, or a day off per week for 20 months. While parents may take part-time leave at the same time, in the case of full-time leave, only one parent can be off work at any one time.  

Independent workers can also receive time off for the same amount of time. To access paid parental leave in Luxembourg, parents must live in Luxembourg or have worked in Luxembourg continuously for a full year prior to the start of the leave. In 2021, 6,839 non-residents were granted one of the different types of parental leave, compared to 8,177 Luxembourg residents.

As the lockdown lifted and employees returned to the workplace in 2021, the numbers grew from 2020, where 7,747 residents and 6,453 cross-border workers got time off.

Women tend to take their parental leave more than men do. As the right is meant to give all parents equal opportunities to participate in their child’s education, technically all parents regardless of gender may take paid leave off work, whether they have give birth or adopt their child.