Tags: Employment
New monthly online ‘Covid telework’ registration obligation for employers starting from April 2021
For a number of months now, teleworking has been compulsory, except for when either the employee’s role or the continuity of business operations does not allow for it.
However, many employers have either not been or have been insufficiently respecting this measure and so the government is going to enhance the monitoring of compulsory teleworking by introducing a new online registration obligation for employers.
The Belgian requirement to rely on recognized dockers to perform dock work passes the ECJ test… the recognition procedure of dockers does not
In a long-awaited court ruling, the ECJ confirmed on 11 February 2021 that the Belgian rules on dock work, obliging companies to have only recognised dockers carry out dock work in ports, does not necessarily constitute a violation of the free movement of workers, the freedom of establishment and the freedom to provide services.
The 2021 Guide to minimum terms of employment for posted workers
ALTIUS’ Employment Team is proud to announce that it has contributed to the 2021 Guide to minimum terms of employment for posted workers.
Focus on social inspection audits in the construction sector…What to expect in 2021?
Last week, the Social Information and Investigation Service published its 2021 Action Plan revealing the inspection services’ strategy and top priorities for 2021. As over the last few years, the construction sector continues to be highly-targeted. We summarise what you can expect in 2021.
Webinar Video | Posting workers to Belgium: all you need to know
Belgium is one of the EU countries with the highest number of posted workers. However, foreign employers posting workers to Belgium and Belgian companies ‘receiving’ the foreign workers are often not fully aware of all immigration, employment, social security and tax consequences triggered by such a posting set-up.
Posting workers to Belgium: all you need to know
The ALTIUS’ Employment Team gives a general overview of the employment-related requirements and points for attention that sending and receiving companies have to comply with when temporarily posting workers to Belgium.
Obligations and checks relating to foreign workers and self-employed individuals extended to all sectors and industries
In August 2020, as part of measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19, the government imposed a new record-keeping obligation and compliance check on certain employers and users which temporarily rely on foreign employees or self-employed individuals (for further details please see “COVID-19: new record-keeping obligation and compliance check relating to foreign workers and self-employed individuals”). Initially, these obligations were limited to employers active in the construction, cleaning, meat, agriculture and horticulture sectors. However, the government has extended these obligations to all sectors and industries. In addition, foreign workers and self-employed individuals must, under certain circumstances, provide evidence of a negative COVID-19 test.
New National Labour Council CLA sets framework for Covid-telework
Traditionally, Belgian labour law distinguishes between two forms of telework, namely structural telework, regulated by the Collective Labour Agreement n° 85, and occasional telework, regulated by the Act on Workable and Agile Work. Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, a third category has been added, namely ‘Covid telework’, which was, at a certain point, recommended but has now been made compulsory again by the government. Until recently, this ‘Covid telework’ was a ‘sui generis’ regime for which no legal framework had been developed. However, the National Labour Council has now concluded a Collective Labour Agreement n° 149 that creates such a legal framework.
This new CLA n° 149 does not apply to companies that already had a structural or occasional telework regime in place before 1 January 2021 that was included in either a CLA, an individual agreement or a telework policy.
For companies that do not yet have a structural or occasional telework regime in place, CLA n° 149 includes a reference framework to make the necessary arrangements on Covid-telework within the company, as well as a number of obligations for well-being at work concerning telework.
This newsflash gives an overview of the new CLA’s key points.
Enhanced role for the occupational doctor in combatting Covid-19: contact tracing, quarantine certificates and testing
A new Royal Decree published on 21 January 2021 in the Belgian Official Gazette has temporarily extended the occupational doctor’s role in combatting the Covid-19 virus.
Webinar Video | Help … am I still up-to-date with the current trends in labour law?
During this webinar, we guide you through the highlights of labour law in 2020 and give you a sneak peak into what is in the ‘pipeline’ for 2021 so that you start 2021 well prepared and fully informed.
Social fraud inspection audits conducted by the District cells have been focusing on the construction sector: 2020 in retrospect
As the end of 2020 is nearing, it is time for the traditional end-of-year lists. 2020 will undoubtedly be remembered as the year in which the entire world encountered the Covid-19 virus but that has not prevented the Belgian social inspection services from proceeding with its inspection audits. Once more, the available (provisional) data[1] reveals that the construction sector has remained a highly-targeted sector. We have listed some interesting figures in the overview below.
WEBINAR VIDEO | Lunch & Learn: Rémunérations alternatives: Comment choisir la meilleure alternative au bonus en cash ?
La « guerre des talents » encourage les entreprises à récompenser et à motiver davantage leurs travailleurs (clés) en leur accordant divers bonus pour leurs efforts. Eu égard à la forte pression parafiscale que connait le bonus en cash, les employeurs sont toujours à la recherche d’alternatives, telles que la prime bénéficiaire, le bonus salarial, l’octroi de stock-options ou de warrants, le paiement de primes dans un plan de pension bonus, etc.