Recent news

Latest items of recent news relevant to Belgium as reported in our fortnightly newswire ‘Dernières nouvelles’.

Belgium: Employers struggle to take on board the labour deal

Towards the end of last year, a facility was introduced to allow an employee to request a four-day workweek, or a new two-week changing schedule …

Please login to view this content or become a member by joining now.

Belgium: Salary thresholds change for work permits in Wallonia

The French-speaking eastern region of Belgium operates its own immigration system …

Please login to view this content or become a member by joining now.

Belgium: Whistleblowers Directive finally implemented

The Act incorporating the EU Directive on the protection of those reporting breaches of Union or national law in the private sector has finally been implemented …

Please login to view this content or become a member by joining now.

Belgium: Reduction in the period allowed for reclaiming overpaid withholding tax

A Belgian employer pays withholding tax on earned income for each employee …

Please login to view this content or become a member by joining now.

Belgium: Amendments to the system of tax-friendly bonus payments

Nothing is easy for employers in Belgium and even the introduction of a simple bonus scheme is fraught with top heavy procedures …

Please login to view this content or become a member by joining now.

Belgium: Law sets down obligatory training provisions for 2023

It is now necessary for companies that employ 20+ workers to draw up a training plan by no later than 31st March 2023 …

Please login to view this content or become a member by joining now.

Belgium: Evening work in E-Commerce

New ways to introduce night work for companies that provide logistical and support services for e-commerce in movable goods …

Please login to view this content or become a member by joining now.

Belgium: Kilometric vehicle fuel allowance now to be adjusted each quarter

The latest change for using a private vehicle for business purposes means that the tax-free allowance is now €0 …

Please login to view this content or become a member by joining now.

Belgium: Right to disconnect requirement postponed until the Spring – 2023

Although all collective bargaining agreements (CBA) were supposed to contain “right to disconnect” clauses effective from January 1st next year, the Federal Public Service organisation is allowing a further three month grace period to agree the change …

Please login to view this content or become a member by joining now.

Belgium: Reduction in employer social security contributions – 2023

Employers in the private sector (subject to the Law of 5 December 1968 on collective labour agreements and joint committees) that do not have links with tax havens will benefit from a reduction of 7 …

Please login to view this content or become a member by joining now.

Belgium: 2024 works council elections

From early next year, employers should begin to make preparations for the next Council election in May 2024 …

Please login to view this content or become a member by joining now.

Belgium: New arrangements for work absence

Employees are no longer required to provide a medical certificate to cover their first day of absence – but only for the first three instances of absence each year …

Please login to view this content or become a member by joining now.

Belgium: Arrangements for setting an alternative day off where a public holiday falls on a Sunday or other day of inactivity

In Belgium, employees are entitled to public holidays that would otherwise be lost because they happen to fall on a Sunday or other day of inactivity (such as Saturday) in a particular year …

Please login to view this content or become a member by joining now.

Belgium: Option to work a 4-day week

Employers should now be prepared for written requests from individual employees to work their weekly hours over four days without loss of salary …

Please login to view this content or become a member by joining now.

Belgium: Indexed pay increase due in January 2023

The statutory indexation of wages is set to increase the pay of one million workers – with a New Year effective date – by around 11 …

Please login to view this content or become a member by joining now.