Luxembourg Implements Paid Leave Rules for Farm Workers

Luxembourg has issued a Grand-Ducal Regulation that brings workers in the agriculture and viticulture sectors under the country's general paid annual leave framework. This regulation aligns their entitlements with those of other private-sector employees, extending provisions from the law of 22 April 1966, as amended by the law of 26 July 1975.

The rules apply to anyone performing professional activities in agriculture or viticulture under a service contract, even if they are not part of the agricultural health insurance scheme. A key condition of the regulation restricts when these workers can schedule their leave, as they cannot insist that their leave coincide with the sector's peak period from 1 June to 31 October each year.

This represents a departure from Article 10, paragraph 1 of the amended law of 22 April 1966, which typically allows broader control over leave scheduling. The execution of the regulation is the responsibility of the Secretary of State at the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, the Minister of Agriculture and Viticulture, and the Minister of Justice.