Who is eligible?

On the job seeker side

The CIE is open to young people under the age of 30, whether or not they have a diploma, who have been registered with the National Employment Agency (hereinafter ADEM) for at least three months. An exception to the registration period may be granted to young jobseekers who are oriented towards an apprenticeship, pending the conclusion of an apprenticeship contract. 

Employers' side

The CIE may be concluded by all employers in the public and private sectors, including trading companies in which the State is a shareholder (CFL, Post, Lux-Airport, etc.), provided that they can offer the young jobseeker a real job prospect at the end of the contract. 

ADEM may refuse to allow an employer to conclude an employment initiation contract if there is clear abuse of the measure on the part of the employer and/or if adequate supervision of the young jobseeker cannot be guaranteed.  

How to find an available position?

Employers apply to the Youth Employment Officer for the provision of a young job seeker. They attach a description of the tasks to be performed and a profile of the position to be filled. 

ADEM offers vacant positions to young job seekers. 

ATTENTION: A young jobseeker who refuses an employment initiation contract without good reason is excluded from receiving full unemployment benefits. 

How is the contract concluded?

The employment initiation contract is concluded between the employer, the young person and ADEM. 

How long does it last?

The duration of the CIE is 12 months. The Director of ADEM may authorise a maximum extension of the contract by six months on the advice of the youth employment officer, based on a duly substantiated request from the employer submitted no later than one month before the end of the contract. He may also agree to the conclusion of a new CIE for six months with another employer.  

No extension authorization is required for sponsors with a job protection plan. 

How long does the young person work?

The young person works in principle 40 hours per week. 

The employer must provide young persons with practical training to facilitate their integration into the labour market. The employer may also offer theoretical training during working hours. 

The employer must allow young job seekers to meet their obligations to ADEM, particularly with regard to job offers, summonses and training, during working hours. 

The employer must also allow young job seekers to participate in one or more job interviews. A certificate of attendance must be signed by the potential employer (pre-printed form provided by ADEM). Young jobseekers are required to give this certificate to the employer and to send a copy to the youth employment officer. 

How are young persons supervised?

A mentor is appointed to assist and supervise young jobseekers during their placement. 

The youth employment officer may invite the mentor to attend training and information sessions. 

Within a period of one month from the date of provision, the employer and the mentor draw up a training plan with the young person, with a copy sent to the youth employment representative. 

The mentor communicates to ADEM the skills and deficiencies noted, as well as the progress to be made by the young job seeker during the contract period. 

How is the young person evaluated?

ADEM, the employer and the mentor carry out evaluations of young jobseekers six months after the start of the contract and eight weeks before the end of the contract. 

At the end of the CIE, the employer draws up a certificate of completion of the CIE measure on the nature and duration of the occupation and on any training.

What is the young person's remuneration?

A young jobseeker aged 18 or over receives an allowance equal to 100% of the minimum social wage that he or she would receive if employed as an unskilled worker (see Paramètres sociaux).

Young people under 18 years of age receive only 80% of the unskilled minimum social wage. 

Persons with a higher technical diploma (BTS), bachelor’s degree or master’s degree are entitled to 130% of the minimum social wage for unskilled workers. 

The compensation is subject to the social security and tax charges provided for in the case of salaries. 

The sponsor may optionally pay the youth a merit bonus that is not reimbursable by the Employment Fund. 

What are the common law rules that apply?

Young people benefiting from a CIE are entitled to the leave applicable in the company where they work. 

In the event of night work, overtime work, work on public holidays and Sunday work, the relevant legal, regulatory and contractual provisions of common law apply to persons with a CIE. 

Periods of employment on a CIE are taken into account as periods of training entitling to full unemployment benefits. 

What assistance is available to the employer?

The Employment Fund reimburses employers other than the State, which provides 100% reimbursement, 75% of the allowance received by young job seekers during the first 12 months of the employment support contract, as well as the employer’s share of social security charges. 

Reimbursement of this quota is fixed at 65% in the case of employment of persons of the under-represented sex in the employer’s sector of activity and/or in the profession in question. 

If the contract is extended, reimbursement is reduced to 30% of the allowance. 

In addition, the employer benefits from a bonus if a young person is hired following the CIE (see next question). 

How is the employer encouraged to hire the young person at the end of the contract?

If the employer wishes to hire the young person at the end of the CIE, he must do so under a permanent employment contract without a trial period. 

In return, ADEM pays the employer’s share of the employer’s charges for the twelve months from the date of recruitment. 

This premium is paid on application by the employer to ADEM, but only 12 months after the young person has been hired on a permanent contract, provided that the young person is still in the company at the time of the application. 

How does the contract end?

Young persons may terminate the employment initiation contract by giving eight days’ notice by registered letter if they can demonstrate valid and convincing reasons. 

The employer may terminate the CIE by giving eight days’ notice by registered letter within the first six weeks of the initial contract. 

After the first six weeks, the employer can only terminate the contract with the agreement of ADEM. 

In case of serious reasons, the eight-day notice period is not applicable. 

What are the employer's obligations at the end of the contract?

Certificate of employment

At the end of the employment initiation contract, the employer must issue the young person with a work certificate describing the nature and duration of the occupation and any training received (model provided by ADEM). 

Priority of employment

When recruiting personnel, the employer must give priority to hiring a former employment initiation contract worker, who may now again be unemployed and whose contract has expired within three months of the recruitment. 

To this end, the employer must inform ADEM in good time of any position(s) available. ADEM contacts young persons concerned if they meet the required qualifications and profile. This person has eight days to convey a decision. 

CSL Publication and Case law

CAE and CIE contracts 

Find more information in our publication downloadable HERE

Legal info 

Download the Infosjuridiques N°1-2020 HERE