Details:
The Independent Workers' Union, Luxembourg’s association representing the self-employed has announced that it will organise a public round table to discuss social protection challenges faced by self-employed workers, set to take place at 18:30 on Tuesday 27 October 2026 at the Centre Sociétaire St Jean in Luxembourg-Belair.
The discussion entitled "Social (In)security for Independents" is aimed to bring together independent professionals and representatives of the business community to address issues surrounding maternity and parental leave, sickness benefits and social security contributions.
The panel moderated by Tanyth Blackler, founder of DoYourThing and ArtisAnimae, will feature: Clara Moraru, President of the Independent Workers' Union; Anne-Sophie Theissen, Director of Legal and European Affairs at the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce; Dr Diane Hoffelt-Kolbet, general practitioner at Centre Médical Bambësch; and Jim Kent, marketing expert. Dr Hoffelt-Kolbet and Jim Kent will share their personal experiences of maternity leave and cancer, respectively, while working independently.
The discussion will take place in English and French. Welcome drink will start at 18:30, followed by the panel discussion at 19:00 and a networking reception at 20:15.
According to the organisation, nearly 30,000 people work as self-employed professionals in Luxembourg, paying approximately 26% of their income in social contributions, covering both employee and employer shares. It continued arguing that despite these contributions, independent workers face gaps in social protection when they become ill, take parental leave or lose their business activity.
Further the organisation highlighted the case of a self-employed woman who took maternity leave in 2024 and received a request from the National Health Fund (CNS) two years later to repay more than €24,000. According to the union, the CNS recalculated her maternity allowance based on her 2024 income, which had decreased because she was on maternity leave. Over nine months, she reportedly received three different repayment amounts without an explanation of the calculations.
The organisation said that other members had reported similar repayment demands involving maternity and parental leave.
It also raised concerns about draft law no 8662, submitted in December 2025, which aims to change the calculation of maternity allowances for self-employed workers. According to the Chamber of Skilled Trades and Crafts (Chambre des Métiers), the proposal would amend the wrong article of the Social Security Code and potentially restrict access to maternity benefits. In April 2026, the chamber called for the bill's withdrawal.
"When a mother is asked to pay back her maternity allowance two years later, simply because she took her maternity leave, something is fundamentally wrong," said Clara Moraru, President of the Independent Workers' Union.
She added that the union wants maternity and parental allowances calculated on the last declared income established before the leave, without subsequent recalculations.
The union also hopes to contribute to the government's forthcoming action plan on social protection for self-employed workers, announced by Luxembourg's Prime Minister Luc Frieden.
For registration and further information, visit Independent Workers' Union website.
Venue: Centre Sociétaire St Jean (110 Avenue Gaston Diderich, Luxembourg-Belair)
Organiser: Independent Workers' Union
Price: €15
Reservations: See above
URL: For details, see https://www.uniondesindependants.lu/events-1/social-in-security-for-independents
