Belgium, a revolution in labour laws: what you absolutely need to know

The Belgian government passed the so-called Labour Deal in September, unleashing the most sweeping and significant changes to Belgian labour law since 2017's Act on workable and agile work.

The Labour Deal and other recent legal employment developments (such as the draft bill on transparent and predictable working conditions) are designed to modernize and change the Belgian employment landscape, with the aim of making the national labour force more competitive and dynamic and at the same time as providing more legal structures to protect employee's work/life balance (including disconnection measures).

The legal team at Osborne Clarke is providing a webinar to update our clients on the most salient features of the legislation. Attendees will have the opportunity to pose questions to our legal experts as well.

The agenda for the event will include the following:

• The Labour Deal, including the four day working week, the alternated working week and the right to disconnect
• Transparent and predictable working conditions, covering the extension of the employer's information obligation, ban on exclusivity clauses, training obligations and e-signing options
• Data access requests in the context of dismissals, grievances and disciplinary procedures: discussion of employment and data protection features
• Overview of new legislative features at a glance
  • (Mandatory) indexation rules;
  • Neutralisation rule social security and impact on current teleworkers abroad;
  • Changes to the reintegration process of employees on long term sickness;
  • Right to demand a form of work with more predictable and secure working conditions;
  • Request of flexible work arrangements for work-life purposes.