Belgium Parliament adopts a vast package of new employment rules

There’s a new employee right to disconnect. Organisations with more than 20 employees will need to update their work regulations before 31st January 2023, setting out the organisation’s policy when it comes to using digital and communications tools outside of the regular working hours.

Compressed hours have been a possibility for several years already, where you squeeze your 38 hours into 4 rather long days rather than 5. However, now a full-time employee is entitled to request compressed hours over 2 weeks rather than 1 (working more one week and less the second). This is specifically targeted at co-parenting situations but any employee can request it. As the employer you can refuse to grant the request but you will have to justify your refusal. Compressed hours can be reviewed and either renewed or stopped every 6 months.

If you employ more than 20 staff you will have to set up a formal training plan for your team setting out their training objectives for the year(s) to come. This needs to be ready by end of March 2023.

If you have between 10 and 19 employees you need to offer one day of training per full time employee per year and if you have 20+ employees you need to offer 4 days of training per full time employee per year. These days can be carried forward to the following year. You can include formal and informal training including (solitary study or attending conferences). You will have to keep a record of these days per employee – the “individual training record”.

An employee will soon be able to request to start working for a new employer during their notice period as long as the new employer has offered a permanent contract (CDI)

An employee who has been dismissed with at least 30 weeks’ notice can participate in a transition path (trainings, etc.) during their notice period, while keeping their regular salary.