All articles - page 46

Abolition of the minimum weekly working hours

The minimum weekly working time threshold is being lowered to one tenth of a full-time schedule, instead of one third previously. This change opens the door to shorter, more flexible jobs suited to students, pensioners, people with disabilities, informal carers and anyone who cannot work many hours. It also makes it possible to formally declare small tasks that would otherwise risk remaining undeclared work. The result: more opportunities, better social protection for workers and fairer tax revenue for the State.

Employment Federal

15 May 2026 Our results

Adapting night work in e-commerce to create jobs

Employment Federal

15 May 2026 Our results

Abolition of the ban on night work

Night work is no longer governed by a blanket ban, but by simpler rules better suited to companies' needs and to realities on the ground. It may be organised between 8 pm and 6 am, through a collective labour agreement signed by all the trade unions represented in the company or through a change to the work rules. This change gives companies more room for manoeuvre, particularly when they face peaks in activity or need to stay competitive, while maintaining a formal framework for workers. A measure designed to support growth, attract activity to Belgium and create the jobs that come with it.

Employment Federal

15 May 2026 Our results

Simplification of working hours for greater flexibility

Work rules are becoming more flexible and easier to manage. Rather than having to list every individual schedule, employers will be able to set out a general framework specifying the periods during which work takes place in the company. For employees, this opens up more scope to adapt working hours to their private lives, for example to their children's school routine. For employers, it means less red tape and a more agile organisation, while keeping a clear framework with mandatory elements.

Employment Federal

15 May 2026 Our results

Voluntary overtime to earn more

Workers who wish to do so can work up to 360 hours of voluntary overtime a year in every sector. For 240 of those hours, gross equals net: what is earned goes straight into the worker's pocket. In the hospitality sector, where the need for extra staff is particularly high, the ceiling rises to 450 hours, 360 of which carry the same advantage. A simple, voluntary measure to boost your income, meet peaks in activity and ensure that extra effort is genuinely rewarded.

Employment Federal

15 May 2026 Our results

Student work authorised from age 15

Young people can now take a student job from the age of 15, whether or not they are still subject to full-time compulsory education. This opening allows them to earn some money, develop their independence and discover the world of work earlier. It also meets the needs of businesses looking for extra hands, especially during busy periods. A concrete measure that gives young people more opportunities while supporting employers on the ground.

Employment Federal

15 May 2026 Our results

Abolition of the obligation to conclude a first-employment contract

The obligation to conclude a first-job contract is abolished, along with the administrative burden it imposed on businesses. This scheme required certain employers to hire a set number of young people, without offering any real guarantee of lasting employment. By removing a rule that no longer matches today's economic context, businesses gain in simplicity and flexibility. The aim is to focus efforts on more effective measures that create genuine opportunities for young people, rather than on a formal obligation that no longer met real needs.

Employment Federal

15 May 2026 Our results

Extension of student work to 650 hours per year

Students can now work up to 650 hours a year, giving them more freedom to earn money, gain a first work experience and finance their projects. The tax exemption ceiling is also being raised so that going just one euro over no longer costs them their status as a dependent child. A concrete measure to encourage young people who want to work, without penalising their families.

Employment Federal

15 May 2026 Our results

Increase in meal vouchers to support purchasing power

Companies will be able to increase the value of meal vouchers by up to 2 euros in 2026, outside the wage norm. For workers, this means more net purchasing power, directly usable for everyday spending. For employers, it is a concrete way to support their teams without increasing gross wages. A simple, visible and useful measure to make work pay more.

Employment Federal

15 May 2026 Our results

Adapting end-of-career time credit for the most demanding professions

End-of-career time credit remains available from the age of 55 for workers facing particularly demanding working conditions: arduous work, night work, difficulty continuing in the construction sector, companies undergoing restructuring or in difficulty, sheltered workshops, social workshops, or a career of at least 35 years. It is also accessible from the age of 60 for people with a sufficiently long career. This is a way of adapting the end of a working life without a sudden break from employment, taking account of wear and tear, experience and real-life situations.

Employment Federal

15 May 2026 Our results

End of early retirement schemes, except for serious medical reasons

The unemployment scheme with company allowance, better known as RCC or early retirement, will be abolished in all its forms. Medical RCC will be maintained for workers with reduced capacity or facing serious medical problems. The aim is to stop encouraging early departures from the labour market when taking up or continuing work remains possible, while maintaining protection for the most serious medical situations.

Employment Federal

15 May 2026 Our results

Extension of parental leave to foster parents

Foster parents who care for a child placed with them on a long-term basis can now take parental leave. This step forward fully recognises the role they play every day and gives them time to support the child, provide stability and meet their needs, just as any parent can for their own child. A simple, humane and concrete measure to better support foster families.

Employment Federal

15 May 2026 Our results

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