News
New rules on medical force majeure and the medical certificate
A new Act, which includes various provisions on incapacity for work, was published in the Belgian State Gazette on 18 November 2022.
Invisible life to the rescue: European Commission facilitates approval of micro-organisms in plant protection products from 21 November 2022
Micro-organisms or microbes (e.g. bacteria, fungi or protozoa) are invisible to us but play a significant ecological role as they help to break down organic matter and produce oxygen. Some of them protect crops from pests and diseases, making them a suitable alternative to chemical-based plant protection. Given its ambition […]
The Labour Deal is published in the Belgian State Gazette
Today, 10 November 2022, the Labour Deal Act has – finally – been published in the Belgian State Gazette. You can, once again, find below our checklist of the obligations and possibilities for employers based on the Labour Deal Act, together with an indication of when each measure will enter into force. We discussed the […]
Transparent and predictable working conditions (part 3): new rights for employees (and new obligations for employers)
Our two previous blogs explained that Belgium has finally transposed the EU Directive on transparent and predictable working conditions into national law. The new Belgian Act of 7 October 2022 (voted upon in parliament on 29 September 2022) has been published in the Belgian State Gazette of today (31 October) and thus enters into force […]
Transparent and predictable working conditions (part 2): be sure to inform your employees
Our blog of 17 October 2022 explained that Belgium has finally transposed the EU Directive on transparent and predictable working conditions into national law. That first blog (in this series of three) elaborated on the right of employees to request a form of employment that is more predictable and secure. This second blog focuses on the principle of transparency […]
Royal Decree anticipated which enables the payment of advances for public procurement contractors
On 14 October 2022, the Council of Ministers approved a draft Royal Decree allowing advances to be granted to public procurement contractors to respond to the economic crisis resulting from the Ukraine war. Context As per Article 67 of the Royal Decree of 14 January 2013 determining execution rules for public procurement contracting authorities can […]
Transparent and predictable working conditions: the ‘must know’ points for employers
An EU Directive was published in 2019 that obliges the Member States to guarantee, on the one hand, an improvement in employment conditions by enforcing more transparent and predictable employment conditions, and, on the other hand, increasing the flexibility in the labour market. Belgium has finally transposed this EU Directive with not one but two legal instruments: namely, […]
Belgium’s implementation of the EU Directive on the posting of drivers in the road transport sector: What is the impact for employers posting drivers to and from Belgium?
With the Act of 19 June 2022, Belgium has implemented EU Directive 2020/1057 on the posting of drivers, by providing, amongst other things, adjustments to the Posting Act of 5 March 20021. Not only foreign posting employers are impacted as the Act of 19 June 2022 has also introduced a new information obligation for Belgian […]
Re-integration track 2.0: key changes at a glance
You will probably have already heard about the new ‘re-integration track 2.0’ for sick employees that entered into force on 1 October 2022 and that also applies to ongoing tracks. Discover below an overview of the key changes, which is presented in a convenient slide format.
The Labour Deal is now a ‘done deal’!
It has been long overdue… the Belgian Parliament finally approved the so-called Labour Deal last week. This ‘deal’ includes – amongst other things – the four-day work week, the introduction of ‘transition paths’ during which workers can already start working for another employer during their notice period, redeployment measures and the workers’ right to be […]
The rise of Employers of Record (EOR) on the Belgian labour market: a new opportunity for foreign employers expanding their business in Belgium?
Since the Covid-19 pandemic hybrid working models have become the ‘new normal’. Although this development has undoubtedly triggered challenges for employers, it has also created opportunities. The pool of candidates for filling an open vacancy has expanded substantially as nothing impedes an employer from ‘crossing the border’ to find the most suitable employee-candidate (and vice […]
Saturday is no longer a working day from 1 January 2023
Although the vast majority of companies work from Monday to Friday, Belgian labour law still attaches great importance to Saturdays. When the Employment Contracts Act refers to “working days” (e.g. the three-working day period for a dismissal for just cause or the registered letter serving notice that takes effect on the third working day after […]