Working in Belgium - Non-standard employment

The most common contracts are full-time and open-ended. In addition there is a distinction between workers and employees.
N.B. Some contracts must be in writing, such as: student contracts, fixed-term contracts or contracts for specific work, contracts to work as a replacement, part-time contracts, any temporary contract – including temporary employment contracts – and homeworking agreements. Probation conditions and non-competition clauses are only valid if they are in writing.

The following contracts differ in one way or another:

Part-time contracts: a contract for less than the normal 38-hour week. Sometimes this can be coupled with unemployment benefit.

Agreement for clearly defined work.

A fixed-term contract (with an end date or a specific result), e.g. for a year or a season.

Freelance is generally a self-employed contract, if not: a fixed-term contract or a contract for a specific assignment.

A temporary employment contract: the temping agency is the employer.

Homeworking is a normal contract, must be in writing and drawn up on an individual basis.

Apprenticeship contract: for young people aged between 16 and 18, who receive training in a company and go to school for one or two days per week. Probation period 1-3 months. Written contract is to be signed before starting.

Sandwich courses, for young people aged between 18 and 25 with no higher training. It is a standard employment contract, with a training obligation.

Individual Vocational Training (IVT) is in-service training courses for an unemployed person who receives on-the-job training. The combination of unemployment benefit with a bonus from the employment service provides a normal wage. It is an employment measure. IVT employees who are not receiving unemployment benefit receive an extra allowance.

The various employment measures are generally standard employment contracts with subsidies for the employer.

Information is available on most of these subjects from the employment services.

Contact

A number of leaflets on employment contracts and related subjects are available from the

• Service Public Fédéral Emploi, Travail et Concertation sociale (Federal Public Office of Employment, Labour and Social Co-ordination), Cellule Publications (Publications Unit)
  At: Rue Ernest Blerot 1, 1070 Brussels
  Tel: 020 233 42 14

or the regional offices of the Inspection des Lois Sociales (Social Legislation Inspectorate).

No rights can be derived from this text.

Text last edited on: 08/2006

Source: European Union
© European Communities, 1995-2007
Reproduction is authorised.