BBZ
Employment law in Belgium
If you are in paid employment in Belgium, you and your employer will be subject to Belgian employment law. Here are a few examples of what this means for you.
Number of days' holiday and holiday pay
If you work 5 days a week, you will get at least 20 days' holiday per calendar year, but only after you have worked in Belgium for an entire calendar year. If you did not start working until halfway through the year, you will not be entitled to any days' holiday until you have worked for 1 year. If you work part-time, the number of days' holiday will be reduced proportionately.
Your employer will pay holiday pay. The amount depends on your employment contract.
- If you are an office worker, you will be entitled to salary during your holidays. In addition, you will receive holiday pay from your employer. The amount is 1/12 of 92% of the gross salary for the month in which your holiday starts, multiplied by the number of months worked in the holiday credit year (the previous calendar year).
- If you are a manual worker, you will be entitled to 8% of 108% of your gross wages for the preceding year during your holidays. This will be paid by the holiday fund your employer is affiliated with. In addition, you will be entitled to holiday pay, which is 7.38% of 108% of your gross wages during the preceding year.
National holidays
You may only work on national holidays if 'Sunday work' is allowed at your company. If your company would have been closed anyway on a national holiday, you get the next working day off. This is called a 'bridging day' (brugdag) . The national holidays are:- New Year's Day (1 January)
- Easter Monday
- Labour Day (1 May)
- Ascension Day
- Whit Monday
- Belgian National Holiday (21 July)
- Assumption Day (15 August)
- All Saints' Day (1 November)
- Armistice Day (11 November)
- Christmas Day (25 December)
Monthly minimum wage
Not every employer is obliged to pay a monthly minimum wage. Most collective agreements (CAOs) include a provision on a 'guaranteed average monthly minimum wage'. The minimum wage you are entitled to depends on your age and the number of months you have been working for your employer.
Monthly minimum wage from May 2011
| Age | Months of service | Percentage | Gross monthly amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 or over | 12 months | € 1,498.87 | |
| 21.5 or over | 6 months | € 1,481.86 | |
| 21 or over | 100% | € 1,443.54 | |
| 20 | 94% | € 1,356.93 | |
| 19 | 88% | € 1,270.32 | |
| 18 | 82% | € 1,183.70 | |
| 17 | 76% | € 1,097.09 | |
| 16 or under | 70% | € 1,010.48 |