Social Security Affiliation Extended for Belgian Teleworking Cross-border Workers until 31 August

Luxembourg and Belgium have extended their agreement on cross-border workers' social security affiliation for teleworking until 31 August 2020.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in Luxembourg, many companies have implemented measures to increase the use of teleworking. However, working from home can have consequences on the affiliation of cross-border workers to social security under the provisions of European legislation relating to the coordination of social security systems of member states.

Consequently, from the start of the crisis, Luxembourg's Minister of Social Security, Romain Schneider, was in contact with his Belgian, German and French counterparts to find an agreement to avoid a change in affiliation if a certain threshold was exceeded for the workers and employers concerned. Following these interactions, it was decided that, in light of the current exceptional circumstances, teleworking days linked to the COVID-19 crisis would not be taken into account for the determination of the social security legislation applicable to the workers concerned and therefore would have no influence on their social security affiliation.

This agreement has just been extended with Belgium until 31 August 31 2020. An official response is expected soon from France and Germany, as well.

Minister Romain Schneider noted: “The extension of this agreement is a strong gesture of solidarity from our neighbouring countries. Teleworking is an important tool in the fight against the spread of COVID-19, so businesses and employers must be able to continue using it without suffering from unwanted consequences. I am confident that France and Germany will also support this approach by extending the agreement we have had so far".