Belgium has one of the most structured employment frameworks in Europe, and if you’re hiring there for the first time, the benefits and leave obligations can come as a surprise. There’s no optionality on most of this. Annual leave, double vacation pay, sick leave guarantees, and parental entitlements are all set by law or binding sector agreements, and you’re expected to have it right from day one. Here’s what you need to know.
Annual leave and the belgian accrual system
Belgian employees are entitled to a minimum of 20 working days of annual leave per year, based on a standard five-day, 38-hour workweek. What makes Belgium unusual is how that entitlement is calculated: it’s based on work performed in the previous calendar year, not the current one. This is known as the “advance” system (or the “vacation year” system), and it means a new hire may arrive with a partial entitlement in their first year.
How the leave is administered also depends on the type of employee. For blue-collar workers, both the annual leave days and the associated vacation pay are managed through sectoral vacation funds rather than by the employer directly. For white-collar workers, it’s the employer who continues paying salary during leave periods. You’ll need to know which category your employees fall into before you set up payroll.
Double vacation pay
On top of regular salary during leave, white-collar employees in Belgium receive double vacation pay (dubbel vakantiegeld). This amounts to 92% of one month’s gross salary and is typically paid out in May or June. Like annual leave itself, it’s calculated based on the previous calendar year, so it’s pro-rated for employees who didn’t work a full year.
This isn’t a discretionary bonus or a goodwill gesture. It’s a statutory obligation, and you should build it into your cost-per-hire calculations from the start.
Public holidays
Belgium recognises 10 official national public holidays per year. Employees are entitled to paid time off on each of these days. If a public holiday falls on a weekend, it’s typically compensated with a substitute day off. Some sectors or regional practices may add to this baseline, so it’s worth checking your applicable joint committee (paritair comité / paritair orgaan).
Sick leave
Belgium’s sick leave rules split responsibility between the employer and the social security system, and the split depends on how long the illness lasts.
The employer guarantee period
For the first 30 days of illness, you’re responsible for paying the employee’s full salary. This is known as the guaranteed wage (gewaarborgd loon), and it applies regardless of whether the absence is a single block or broken into separate periods within certain timeframes. One important distinction: white-collar employees are covered from the very first day of illness, while blue-collar workers have a shorter guaranteed period under their specific rules before the full 30-day employer obligation kicks in.
Social security coverage after 30 days
From day 31 onwards, the national health insurance body (RIZIV/INAMI) takes over and pays approximately 60% of the employee’s capped salary. The employer is no longer the primary payer at this point, but you’ll still need to manage the administrative side, including making sure the employee has registered the incapacity correctly with their mutuality (health insurance fund).
Maternity leave
Maternity leave in Belgium totals 15 weeks. Of these, 6 weeks are taken before the birth and 9 weeks are taken after. At least 1 week must be taken before the birth, and up to 5 weeks of the pre-birth period can be transferred to the post-birth period if the employee chooses.
The 9 weeks of post-birth leave are compulsory. The employee can’t waive them, and you can’t ask her to return before they’re up.
Maternity leave pay is handled by the employee’s health insurance fund (mutualité/ziekenfonds), not by you as the employer. For the first 30 days, the fund pays 82% of uncapped salary. From week 5 onwards, the rate drops to approximately 75% of capped salary.
Paternity leave
Belgium’s paternity leave is officially called birth leave (geboorteverlof) and gives the non-birthing parent 20 working days. It must be taken within 4 months of the birth.
The cost is split between you and the health insurance fund. You pay full salary for the first 3 days. The health insurance fund covers the remaining 17 days at approximately 82% of the employee’s capped salary. Your exposure is limited, but you do need to facilitate the leave and ensure the employee has filed the correct documentation with their mutuality.
Parental leave
Each parent is entitled to 4 months of parental leave, available until the child reaches the age of 12. Employees can take this leave full-time, half-time, or as a one-fifth reduction in working hours, giving them flexibility in how they structure it.
Parental leave pay isn’t your responsibility. It’s paid by the National Employment Office (RVA/ONEm) as a flat-rate benefit. Your obligation is to grant the leave when requested and to maintain the employment relationship during the period.
Managing belgian benefits through an Employer of Record
Belgium’s benefits framework is thorough, and that’s before you factor in sector-level collective labour agreements (CLAs). For example, a year-end bonus equivalent to a 13th month’s salary is near-universal in practice because most sectors mandate it through their joint committee. You’ll need to identify your applicable joint committee and check the exact CLA obligations before making any hiring decisions.
For foreign companies without a Belgian legal entity, using an Employer of Record (EOR) removes the need to set one up. An EOR employs your Belgian workers on your behalf, handles payroll, administers all statutory leave entitlements, manages vacation fund contributions for blue-collar workers, and keeps pace with CLA changes in your sector. If you’re scaling a team in Belgium without a local entity, exploring EOR services is the most straightforward way to stay compliant from day one.
Book a demo to see how RemotePass manages Belgian leave and benefits on your behalf.
Frequently asked questions
Does belgium’s annual leave entitlement apply from an employee’s first day?
Not in full. Because Belgium’s system is based on work performed in the previous calendar year, a new hire’s entitlement in their first year is pro-rated based on the months they’ve worked. They’ll build up a full entitlement for the following year once they’ve completed a full calendar year of work.
Is double vacation pay mandatory, or can we replace it with higher base salary?
It’s mandatory. Double vacation pay is a statutory entitlement and can’t be contractually replaced or waived. You must pay it in addition to regular salary, regardless of how you’ve structured the employee’s compensation package.
Do we pay sick employees directly for the full duration of their absence?
No. You’re responsible for the first 30 days at full salary. After that, the employee’s health insurance fund (RIZIV/INAMI) covers approximately 60% of capped salary. Your payroll obligation ends at day 30, though you’ll need to confirm the incapacity has been properly registered with the fund.
What’s a joint committee, and do we need to know which one applies to us?
Yes, you do. Joint committees (paritaire comités) are sector-level bodies that set binding CLA obligations on top of the statutory minimums, covering things like the 13th month bonus, sector-specific leave rules, and supplementary pay scales. Every Belgian employer is assigned to a joint committee based on their primary activity. If you don’t know which one applies, it’s one of the first things to establish before you hire.
