Covid-19
The Luxembourg government has just adopted a series of new measures in the context of the current health and economic crisis:
Suspension of the expiry period of building permits
The one-year expiry period for building permits provided for in Article 37(5) of the amended Act of 19 July 2004 on municipal planning and urban development, which did not expire before the state of crisis, is suspended for the duration of the state of crisis. This suspension temporarily halts the course of the crisis without erasing the period that has already elapsed. Read the regulation here.
Suspension of time limits for the negotiation of a social plan
The Grand Ducal Regulation of 1 April 2020 derogating from the time limits laid down in article L. 166-2. of the Labour Code suspends the time limits applicable, during the negotiation of a social plan in the context of collective redundancies, and, where applicable, the related conciliation procedure, for the duration of the time of crisis.
Suspension of one of the reasons for withdrawing early retirement benefits
The Grand Ducal Regulation of 1 April 2020 derogating from article L. 585-6. of the Labour Code temporarily suspends one of the reasons for withdrawing early retirement benefits, namely that of resuming an activity generating an income which, over a calendar year, exceeds half of the minimum social wage applicable to the employee concerned per month.
This Grand Ducal Regulation applies only to companies pursuing one of the activities referred to in Article 3 (2) or Article 5 passage 1 of the Grand Ducal Regulation of 18 March 2020 introducing a series of measures to combat Covid-19.
Suspension of the trial periods of employees affected by partial unemployment for cases of force majeure (coronavirus)
The Grand Ducal Regulation of 1 April 2020 derogating from articles L. 111-3., L. 121-5., L. 122-11. and L. 131-7. of the Labour Code suspends the probationary period for employees linked to a company that has had to stop its activities or slow down its activities in such a way that it is obliged to put its staff on "short-time working for force majeure Covid-19", following the time of crisis.
Modification of the modified Grand Ducal Regulation of 18 March 2020 introducing a series of measures to combat Covid-19
The Grand-Ducal Regulation of 1 April 2020 modifying the modified Grand Ducal Regulation of 18 March 2020 introducing a series of measures in the fight against Covid-19 modified the cited Grand Ducal Regulation in article 5 by adding the activity "les services de transport, de transbordement et d’expédition de marchandises et de fret" (translated:"transport, transhipment and freight forwarding services").
As a result, it is also possible for employers concerned by this modification to refuse any leave during the time of crisis and to work up to 60 hours/week, provided they have the authorization of the Minister of Labour, Employment and the Social and Solidarity Economy.