Working in Belgium - Annual leave

In Belgium there are 10 public holidays: 

• 1 January
• Easter Monday
• 1 May
• Ascension Thursday
• Whit Monday
• 21 July
• 1 November
• 11 November
• 25 December

Where a public holiday falls on a Sunday or a day that is normally a non-working day, it is replaced by a regular working day. The replacement day may be set by the joint employer/employees bodies such as the works council or joint committee. Where a worker has worked on a public holiday, he or she is entitled to a day off in lieu, which must be granted within six weeks of the relevant public holiday.

The right to paid leave depends on having worked the previous year. This means that one cannot take leave during the first year of work in Belgium. Your employer may, however, grant you some days off without pay. For workers, a full year of employment provides entitlement to 20 days' holiday the following year. 

Workers are entitled to remuneration by a Holiday Fund in lieu of wages. This amount consists of normal remuneration and a holiday allowance. For employees, one month of employment provides entitlement to two days' holiday, i.e. four weeks' paid leave. Employees are also entitled to an allowance which amounts to 92% of gross monthly remuneration.

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Text last edited on: 08/2006

Source: European Union
© European Communities, 1995-2007
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