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Expand Your Employer of Record Services In Belgium
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Expand Your Employer of Record Services In Belgium
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Belgium At a Glance
Belgium At a Glance
Belgium At a Glance
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Country Information
Easily navigate Belgium Employment Landscape
Easily navigate Belgium Employment Landscape
Easily navigate Belgium Employment Landscape
Discover everything you need to know about working in Belgium with clear, practical resources built for both employees and employers. We cover Belgium’s core employment rules, Single Permit (work + residence) requirements for non-EU nationals working longer than 90 days, and the essentials of workplace rights—from working time limits to compliant payroll and salary withholding tax—so you can plan your career move to Belgium (Brussels, Flanders, or Wallonia) with confidence.
Weekly Working Hours
National Holidays
Leave
Types of Employment
Employment Costs
IC Class Factors
Labor Leasing
Minimum Wage
Medical Benefits
Probationary Periods
Termination Notice
Severance
Understanding Weekly Working Hours in Belgium
Explore Work hours Employee rights in Belgium
Explore Work hours Employee rights in Belgium
Explore Work hours Employee rights in Belgium
In Belgium, the standard working time is generally limited to 38 hours per week, although some sectors still operate on a 40-hour workweek with compensatory rest days. These rules are designed to support employee well-being while maintaining productivity across industries.
Any hours worked beyond the applicable weekly limit are treated as overtime and must be compensated at premium rates. By law, overtime is usually paid at a minimum of 50% extra for work performed on regular weekdays, and 100% extra for overtime worked on Sundays or public holidays. Night work and weekend work may also attract higher pay or additional compensatory rest, depending on the sector.
Public Holidays and Employee Leave in Belgium
Overview of Public Holidays & Employee leave
Overview of Public Holidays & Employee leave
Overview of Public Holidays & Employee leave
In Belgium, employees are entitled to paid public holidays, allowing time off to rest and observe national celebrations. In addition to public holidays, Belgian labour law guarantees a wide range of statutory leave entitlements that support employee well-being and family life.
Workers are entitled to paid annual leave, sick leave, maternity leave, paternity/birth leave, and parental leave, with conditions and durations defined by law and collective agreements. Belgium also recognises special leave for specific life events such as marriage, bereavement, childbirth, jury duty, or relocation, depending on eligibility and sector rules.
Understanding Employment Contracts in Belgium
Explore Employment Contracts & Costs in Belgium
Explore Employment Contracts & Costs in Belgium
Explore Employment Contracts & Costs in Belgium
In Belgium, employers are required to provide clear employment agreements that define key terms such as job role, working hours, remuneration, benefits, and workplace policies, in line with national labour regulations and applicable collective bargaining agreements (CBAs). While some contracts may be concluded verbally, written employment contracts are mandatory for specific arrangements, including fixed-term, part-time, and temporary agency work.
Types of employment
Permanent (open-ended) employees
Fixed-term employees
Temporary agency workers hired through licensed interim agencies
Independent contractors, who operate under commercial or service agreements and are not subject to standard employee protections
From a cost perspective, Belgium has one of Europe’s most comprehensive social security systems. Employers typically bear high mandatory social security contributions, often amounting to around 25%–30% of gross salary, depending on the employee category and applicable reductions. These contributions fund health insurance, pensions, unemployment benefits, occupational accident insurance, and family allowances.
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ICC classifications, labor leasing, and wage rules in Belgium
Labor Regulations & Independent Contractor Classification in Belgium
Labor Regulations & Independent Contractor Classification in Belgium
Labor Regulations & Independent Contractor Classification in Belgium
In Belgium, the distinction between a freelance service contract and a service contract is primarily based on the level of independence and subordination. Freelancers operate as self-employed professionals, managing their own schedules, methods of work, and tools, and may appoint substitutes unless contractually restricted. They are not subject to employer authority or fixed working hours.
Labor Leasing
In Belgium, assigning workers to perform duties at a third-party company—commonly known as temporary agency work or labour leasing—is strictly regulated. Only licensed temporary employment agencies are permitted to supply workers to user companies. These agencies must comply with national regulations governing pay, working conditions, and equal treatment, ensuring strong protection for temporary workers..
Minimum Wage Requirements
Belgium enforces statutory minimum wages, but these are largely implemented through sectoral collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) rather than a single uniform rate. Most industries have industry-specific minimum pay scales that set legally binding wage floors based on role, experience, and seniority. In addition, a national guaranteed minimum monthly income applies where no sectoral agreement exists.
How pay and health coverage apply during employee illness in Belgium
Medical Benefits in Belgium
Medical Benefits in Belgium
Medical Benefits in Belgium
In Belgium, employees benefit from a robust sickness and medical leave system that combines employer obligations with state social security support, ensuring income protection during periods of illness.
When an employee becomes unable to work due to illness or non-work-related injury, the employer is required to continue paying remuneration for an initial period, known as guaranteed salary. This guaranteed pay generally includes the employee’s normal salary, and in many cases may also reflect regular variable components, depending on applicable collective agreements.
Guaranteed Salary Period (Paid by Employer)
The duration of employer-paid sick leave depends on the employee’s status:
White-collar employees:
Up to 30 days of full salary, regardless of length of service
Blue-collar employees:
Guaranteed pay applies for a shorter initial period, after which social security benefits begin earlier
Sickness Benefits (Paid by Social Security)
After the guaranteed salary period ends, sickness benefits are paid by Belgium’s social security system (health insurance funds / mutualités):
Benefits are paid as a percentage of the employee’s capped salary
Rates and duration depend on family status and length of incapacity
Long-term illness may transition into invalidity benefits
Key rules governing probation duration and employer notice requirements.
Probationary Periods & Termination Notice in Belgium
Probationary Periods & Termination Notice in Belgium
Probationary Periods & Termination Notice in Belgium
In Belgium, an employment contract may include a probationary period, but since the 2014 labour law reforms, statutory probation periods have largely been abolished for most employment contracts. Instead, flexibility during the early phase of employment is mainly addressed through shorter notice periods at the start of the employment relationship. Any probationary arrangements must be clearly agreed upon and comply with current legal standards and applicable collective bargaining agreements (CBAs).
Termination Notice Periods in Belgium
After employment begins, statutory notice periods apply and increase progressively with seniority. Belgian law provides uniform notice periods for both blue-collar and white-collar employees, calculated based on length of service:
Up to 3 months: 1 week
4–5 months: 3 weeks
6 months: 4 weeks
Thereafter, notice continues to increase step by step as seniority grows, reaching several months for long-serving employees
How termination compensation and background screening are regulated under Austrian labor law
Severance Pay & Pre-Hire Checks in Belgium
Severance Pay & Pre-Hire Checks in Belgium
Severance Pay & Pre-Hire Checks in Belgium
In Belgium, severance pay is calculated and paid at termination, usually as payment in lieu of notice, based on the employee’s salary and length of service under unified notice rules. There is no monthly severance fund system.
Employers may conduct limited background checks, including reviewing public social media profiles, only when relevant to the role. All such checks must comply with GDPR and Belgian data protection laws, ensuring lawful, proportionate, and non-discriminatory use of personal data.
