Social security minister Romain Schneider (LSAP) announced on Thursday that the extraordinary leave granted to parents who have to stay at home with children under 13 during the coronavirus crisis has been extended indefinitely. The move follows news that schools and crèches will remain closed until 19 April, after the scheduled Easter holidays.

Parents who have already submitted a form to their employers and the National Health Fund (CNS) do not have to reapply for the leave, but should keep their employer up to date of their plans. Schneider said that so far 15,000 parents had applied for the special leave.

Meanwhile, the ministry of employment has received 3,200 requests for temporary partial employment from Luxembourg companies, minister Dan Kersch (LSAP) revealed on Thursday. Kersch said that he expects the sum required to cover partial employment requests caused by the crisis to “explode”. In 2019 the costs incurred by the state stood at €5.5 million. The budget for 2020 was set at €11 million, but Kersch reckons it could cost the state as much as €150 million just to cover the construction sector--building sites have been ordered to shut down by today, 20 March, at the latest.

But Kersch said that his ministry was working on setting up simplified and digital procedures for companies that face difficulties because of the government’s restriction of movement measures.