Work made easier and rewarded: the MR secures crucial and historic measures to modernise the labour market and meet needs on the ground

A. Presentation of the measures

1. Measures obtained in the Council of Ministers

a) Extension of flexi-jobs to all sectors

On 30 April 2026, the Council of Ministers approved, at second reading, a preliminary bill containing various provisions on flexi-jobs, brought forward by Minister David Clarinval. This historic reform extends the flexi-job system to all private and public sectors, marking a major break with the previous system, which limited this type of contract to certain specific sectors such as hospitality, retail, socio-cultural activities and care.

The flexi-job system allows workers already employed at least four-fifths time to work extra hours for other employers, with a favourable tax and social regime: tax exemption up to a certain ceiling and reduced social contributions. Until now, only certain sectors facing labour shortages could use this system, causing frustration both among employers in other sectors and workers wishing to supplement their income.

The extension respects the access rules for protected professions, with exclusion or reintegration arrangements remaining possible for sectors that wish to apply them. This flexibility ensures that the general opening will not undermine the specific requirements of certain regulated professions. This measure is set to enter into force on 1 July 2026.

b) Substantial increase in the tax ceiling for flexi-jobs

As part of the same reform, the tax ceiling for flexi-jobs rises significantly, from €12,000 to €18,000 for non-retired workers. This 50% increase is a strong signal in favour of the purchasing power of workers wishing to take on extra work.

In practice, this means a worker can now combine up to €18,000 a year in flexi-job income while benefiting from the favourable tax regime, namely a full tax exemption on this income and reduced social charges for the employer. The employer contribution therefore remains set at 28%. For retirees, the ceiling remains unchanged, keeping the system attractive for this category of workers already active in this segment.

This measure logically accompanies the sectoral extension: by opening the system to all sectors while substantially raising the ceiling, the government is creating the conditions for genuine growth of flexi-jobs as a tool for flexibility in the Belgian labour market.

c) Easing of anti-accumulation rules for full-time workers

The reform removes the ban that prevented full-time employees from taking a flexi-job with a company linked to their main employer.

Previously, an employer could not hire its own employees as flexi-jobbers, nor use flexi-jobbers working for related companies (subsidiaries, parent company, etc.).

By limiting the lifting of this ban to full-time employees, the reform maintains a balance: these workers already have stable, full employment, and their wish to work extra hours via a flexi-job stems from a voluntary decision to top up income. Part-time workers remain subject to the ban, ensuring they are not compelled to complete their working time through the flexi-job scheme.

d) Extension of maternity leave for self-employed women

The federal government has also approved a major reform in favour of self-employed women workers, brought forward by Minister Eléonore Simonet: extending their maternity leave from 12 to 15 weeks. This measure ends a long-standing inequality between salaried mothers, who already benefited from 15 weeks of leave, and self-employed mothers, who had to make do with 12 weeks.

The annual budget allocated to this measure amounts to €8 million, an investment that reflects the political will to ensure genuine equal treatment between different professional statuses regarding maternity. This extension applies to all self-employed women, whether operating as individuals or through a company, and also applies to self-employed helpers.

The structure of maternity leave for self-employed women now comprises 3 weeks of compulsory rest before the birth (or at least 2 weeks if the birth occurs earlier than expected) and 12 weeks after birth, including a compulsory and an optional period.

e) Possibility of combining activities during self-employed maternity leave

In addition to extending the leave, a second measure introduces specific flexibility for self-employed women: the option to combine their optional rest period with a part-time (half-time) resumption of their activity for a maximum of 18 weeks.

This provision, brought forward by Minister Simonet, takes into account the particular reality of self-employed work: unlike salaried women who can be entirely absent from their business, self-employed women often manage their own activity and may wish to maintain gradual contact with their clients or projects during their leave. The system thus allows a resumption of reduced activity (maximum half-time) while continuing to receive maternity benefits, offering a smoother transition back to full activity.

This flexibility applies only to the optional rest period, ensuring the compulsory rest period remains fully protected and that new mothers benefit from a minimum, non-reducible recovery time. The measure follows a logic of personal choice: each self-employed woman can decide, depending on her personal, professional and health situation, whether she wishes to resume gradually or to enjoy full rest.

The reform introduces an innovative mechanism allowing self-employed women to choose between additional weeks of leave and the granting of free service vouchers, depending on their specific needs. Until now, self-employed women automatically received 105 free service vouchers to help with household tasks after the birth.

The new system offers three adjustable options for the 3 additional weeks of leave:

• 3 additional weeks of leave if the self-employed woman waives the granting of the 105 service vouchers
• 2 additional weeks of leave if she takes up the granting of 35 service vouchers
• 1 additional week of leave if she takes up the granting of 70 service vouchers

This structure allows each self-employed woman to tailor support to her personal and professional situation: a mother with a family network to help with household tasks may prefer additional weeks of leave, while another wishing to resume her activity more quickly can opt for service vouchers to delegate household tasks.

2. Measures adopted in Parliament

a) Voluntary overtime: 360 hours, of which 240 hours gross = net

The labour market reform includes a major overhaul of the voluntary overtime scheme, which came into force on 1 April 2026. Workers can now work up to 360 voluntary overtime hours per calendar year, compared to a previously more limited and complex system, with the ceiling raised to 450 hours in the hospitality sector for concerned employers.

The major innovation lies in structuring the system into two parts. On one hand, 120 hours fall under the ordinary regime, with overtime pay and standard social and tax treatment; on the other, 240 hours benefit from a very favourable regime, free of social security contributions, withholding tax and income tax, meaning workers receive a net amount equal to the gross amount for these hours. No compensatory rest is provided for these hours, and they are not counted towards the internal limit, reinforcing the flexibility of the scheme.

This reform addresses a twofold reality: many businesses need faster adaptability during activity peaks, while many workers wish to increase their income in a simple and clear way. The retention of a prior written agreement between employer and employee also guarantees the voluntary nature of the mechanism.

b) Capping of notice periods at 52 weeks

On 30 April 2026, Parliament adopted a measure capping the notice period at a maximum of 52 weeks for all new employment contracts. This reform aims to encourage professional mobility and career transitions by removing a paradoxical brake on labour market dynamics.

Currently, the Belgian system allows very long notice periods to accumulate depending on seniority, reaching several years in some cases. While this mechanism was designed to protect workers, it in fact produces a perverse effect: workers are reluctant to change employer for fear of losing accumulated protection, sometimes to the detriment of their professional development and career opportunities.

The 52-week cap (i.e. one year) applies only to new contracts signed after the reform enters into force, without affecting the acquired rights of current employees. This measure benefits both workers, who can more easily seize new opportunities, and employers, who can recruit experienced profiles without having to bear discouraging notice periods.

c) Simplification of work regulations

The reform introduces a major simplification of work regulations by allowing companies to set a general working-time framework rather than exhaustively listing all possible schedules. This mechanism, already in place for part-time workers with variable schedules, is now extended to all workers.

Until now, work regulations had to detail all possible working schedules precisely and exhaustively, often resulting in bulky and complex documents that were difficult to keep up to date and hard to read for both employers and workers. Every schedule change required a formal update to the work regulations, generating a heavy administrative burden.

Under the new approach, companies will be able to define an overall framework (for example: variable schedules between 7am and 7pm, with a minimum break time) while retaining the flexibility needed to adapt schedules to operational needs and workers' wishes. This simplification reduces the administrative burden on companies while maintaining transparency and predictability for workers, who know the limits within which their schedules can vary.

In addition, the minimum one-third rule for part-time workers is lowered to one-tenth of the weekly full-time working hours, opening the door to more flexible jobs tailored to real needs.

d) Modernisation of night work

The reform package also includes a modernisation of the night work framework, long governed by a logic of general prohibition with numerous exceptions. The reform provides that there is no longer a general ban on night work across all sectors, marking a profound shift in the philosophy of work organisation.

From now on, under the general regime, night work is defined as any work carried out between 8pm and 6am. For distribution, logistics and e-commerce, a specific regime is introduced: night work there covers the period from 11pm to 6am, with a relaxed introduction procedure to better align Belgium with the organisation in neighbouring countries and strengthen the competitiveness of these activities.

The reform seeks to balance competitiveness and worker protection. Existing collective agreements and bonuses applicable to workers already in employment are maintained, while a specific framework is provided for new hires in the sectors concerned, with a bonus for work performed between 11pm and 6am. An assessment of the reform is announced one year after its entry into force to measure its impact on employment, competitiveness and social protection.

e) Access to student work from age 15

Until now, only young people no longer subject to full-time compulsory schooling (i.e. those in the third year of secondary school or above) could take on student work.

This condition has been removed by a royal decree published on 4 May 2026: all young people from the age of 15 can now take up student work. This measure widens the pool of available labour for sectors under pressure such as hospitality, retail and services, while allowing young people to gain their first work experience and develop independence.

Specific protective measures are nonetheless provided for this category: young people still subject to full-time compulsory education will only be able to carry out “light work”, a notion that still needs to be clarified by royal decree. A second royal decree allows young people aged 16 and over to work on Sundays and public holidays in retail, care homes, and as lifeguards at the coast, in public swimming pools or bathing ponds.

As a reminder, since 1 January 2025 the annual quota for student work has been structurally raised to 650 hours (compared to 475 hours previously), allowing students to work more while benefiting from reduced social contributions of 2.71%.

B. Historic measures that improve the lives of working Belgians

1. Measures secured in the Council of Ministers

These reforms secured by David Clarinval and Éléonore Simonet on the eve of 1 May show that the MR is the party moving the lines on the Belgian labour market. Extending flexi-jobs, raising the ceiling, equality for self-employed mothers, all of this was won by the MR. These historic reforms are the fruit of the thorough work carried out by our Ministers David Clarinval and Éléonore Simonet.

These concrete measures improve the daily lives of thousands of Belgians: more freedom to work more, more equality for mothers, more flexibility for businesses. Faced with economic and social challenges, the MR offers pragmatic, balanced and forward-looking solutions.

a) Extension of flexi-jobs to all sectors

• This measure responds to a concrete demand on the ground: many employers struggle to find the workforce they need, while many workers want to work more to earn more.
• This reform creates a virtuous circle: more opportunities for extra income for workers, more flexibility for employers and therefore more economic dynamism for our country.

b) Raising the tax ceiling to €18,000 for flexi-jobs

• With a ceiling raised to €18,000 for flexi-jobs, we are giving Belgian workers the opportunity to genuinely top up their income without being penalised by taxation. This measure perfectly illustrates the MR's liberal philosophy: rewarding those who want to make extra effort rather than discouraging them with punitive taxation.
• We defend the simple principle that those who work more should be able to earn more, without the state excessively skimming off that extra income.

c) Easing of the anti-combination rules for flexi-jobs

• By removing this unnecessary ban for full-time workers, we trust workers and employers rather than systematically suspecting them of abuse.
• A full-time employee who wants to work a few extra hours as a flexi-job for their own employer should be able to do so: that is economic and social common sense.
• This measure reduces bureaucracy and mistrust while maintaining the necessary safeguards to prevent genuine abuse (the ban remains in place for part-time workers).
• We are moving away from a logic of generalised suspicion towards a logic of responsibility: a full-time worker who freely chooses to work extra hours for their employer should no longer be held back by an outdated rule.
• The MR prefers simplicity and trust over regulatory complexity: as long as the worker has a stable full-time job, they should be free to supplement their income as they see fit.

d) Extension of maternity leave for self-employed women

• The MR believes in genuine equality, not just in words: with this measure, we are finally putting an end to an unjustifiable discrimination between employed and self-employed mothers.
• Female entrepreneurs deserve the same support as employees when starting a family: it is a matter of social justice and encouraging female entrepreneurship.
• For years, self-employed women had to choose between their business and their family life: with 15 weeks of leave, aligned with employees, we are putting an end to this impossible choice.
• The MR innovates with a system that respects free choice: every self-employed mother can decide what suits her personal and professional situation best.
• Some mothers need more time with their baby, others prefer to return more quickly with help around the house: we respect these differences rather than imposing a single model.

e) Combining activities during self-employed maternity leave

• We give self-employed mothers the choice: complete rest or a gradual return to activity, it is up to them to decide based on their personal and professional situation.
• For a self-employed woman running her own business, being able to gradually resume her activity part-time is often a practical necessity: we are adapting the law to the reality on the ground.
• The MR trusts self-employed women to make the best choices for themselves, their health and their family: no obligation to work, but no ban on doing so either.
• Flexibility does not mean precariousness: the compulsory rest period remains fully protected, and the possibility of combining activities only applies to the optional phase, on a voluntary basis.

2. Measures adopted in Parliament

a) Voluntary overtime (360 hours, of which 240 hours gross = net)

• With 360 possible voluntary overtime hours, of which 240 hours where gross equals net, the MR provides a concrete answer for those who want to work more to earn more.
• This reform simplifies a system that had become unreadable and allows businesses to better cope with peak periods without unnecessarily burdening procedures.
• The MR values effort, voluntary work and purchasing power: when a worker freely chooses to work more, they should see the benefit directly on their pay slip.
• 240 hours gross = net means an immediate and transparent gain in purchasing power, without paperwork or tax complexity.
• This measure meets the needs of sectors under pressure while respecting the voluntary nature: no obligation, only opportunities for those who wish to take them.

b) Capping of notice periods at 52 weeks

• By capping notice periods at 52 weeks, we are freeing workers from a straitjacket that paradoxically prevented them from seizing new professional opportunities.
• Notice periods of several years protect no one: they lock workers into their current situation and sometimes push employers, for cost reasons, to dismiss employees they would not have wanted to let go.
• This measure promotes professional mobility, wellbeing at work and career transitions: all essential elements for a dynamic and modern labour market.

c) Simplification of work regulations

• By replacing exhaustive lists of working schedules with a general working-time framework, we are eliminating unnecessary bureaucracy that complicated life for businesses without benefiting workers.
• Workers also benefit: a clear and understandable work regulation is better than a catalogue of hundreds of impossible-to-decipher schedules.

d) Modernisation of night work

• The MR is finally modernising rules from a different era by removing a general ban that no longer matched current economic realities.
• In logistics, distribution and e-commerce, this reform allows Belgium to align more closely with its neighbours and defend its competitiveness against international competition.
• This modernisation does not come at the expense of workers: existing protections and bonuses for workers already in service are maintained.
• The specific 11pm to 6am regime for the sectors concerned recognises their operational particularities while guaranteeing a bonus for new recruits.
• An evaluation after one year will make it possible to measure the real impact of this reform.

e) Access to student work from age 15

• By allowing 15-year-olds to work, we are giving them the opportunity to gain first professional experience, develop their independence and build up a first nest egg.
• This measure responds to a reality: many young people want to work during the holidays, and many sectors are desperately looking for labour during peak periods.
• This measure is part of our vision: valuing work from a young age, developing a sense of responsibility and offering concrete prospects.