Belgium has some of the most structured employment termination rules in Europe. If you’re hiring employees there, you need to understand how notice periods work, what administrative steps are required, and what’s changing in 2026. Getting this wrong is expensive: Belgium’s protections are legally enforceable and the costs of non-compliance fall squarely on the employer.
The legal framework for termination in belgium
Two pieces of legislation govern how employment contracts can be ended in Belgium. The first is the Employment Contracts Act (Wet Arbeidsovereenkomsten / Loi sur les contrats de travail), which sets the baseline rules for all contract types. The second is the Eenheidsstatuut (Unified Statute), which came into force on January 1, 2014.
Before the Eenheidsstatuut, blue-collar and white-collar workers had separate notice period rules, with blue-collar workers receiving significantly less protection. The Unified Statute abolished that distinction and introduced a single, unified notice period scale for all employees. It’s one of the most significant changes to Belgian employment law in decades.
There’s no statutory probation period under Belgian law. Trial clauses are only possible in specific sectors where a collective labour agreement (CLA) explicitly provides for them. In most cases, you won’t have access to a probationary mechanism when you take on a new hire.
Notice periods
Notice period rules in Belgium are detailed and length increases with seniority. Here’s what you need to know before initiating a termination.
The eenheidsstatuut notice table
The following notice periods apply to employer-initiated terminations for contracts started after January 1, 2014. Notice is expressed in weeks.
| Seniority | Notice period |
|---|---|
| 0–3 months | 1 week |
| 3–4 months | 3 weeks |
| 4–5 months | 4 weeks |
| 5–6 months | 5 weeks |
| 6–9 months | 6 weeks |
| 9–12 months | 7 weeks |
| 12–15 months | 8 weeks |
| 15–18 months | 9 weeks |
| 18–21 months | 10 weeks |
| 21–24 months | 11 weeks |
| 2 years | 12 weeks |
| 3 years | 13 weeks |
| 4 years | 15 weeks |
| 5 years | 18 weeks |
| 6 years | 21 weeks |
| 7 years | 24 weeks |
| 8+ years | Continues to increase (roughly 3 weeks per additional year) |
One procedural point worth noting: notice doesn’t start on the day you give it. It takes effect from the Monday following the week in which notice is formally given. That means timing matters when you’re planning a termination.
Payment in lieu of notice
You don’t have to require an employee to work out the notice period. You can pay wages in lieu of notice instead, which terminates the contract immediately. The payment must cover all remuneration the employee would have earned during the full notice period, including benefits and variable pay components. This is often the cleaner option where the relationship has broken down or a clean break is preferred.
Pre-2014 seniority
If an employee was hired before January 1, 2014, their notice entitlement isn’t straightforward. Their total notice period is calculated in two parts: the pre-2014 portion is calculated under the old rules that applied at the time, and the post-2014 portion is calculated under the Eenheidsstatuut scale. The two figures are added together. This means long-tenured employees hired before 2014 can have substantially longer notice periods than the table above suggests.
Employee resignation notice
When an employee resigns, they’re also required to give notice. Under Belgian law, employee resignation notice is capped at a maximum of 13 weeks, regardless of seniority. That cap applies uniformly and it doesn’t matter how long the employee has worked for you.
The 2026 notice period reform proposals
Belgian employment law may be changing. In February 2026, a draft law was submitted that proposes two significant changes: capping employer-initiated notice periods at 52 weeks for new contracts, and standardising the first six months of employment as a one-week trial period across all sectors.
As of early 2026, this draft hasn’t passed into law. The current Eenheidsstatuut notice periods remain in force. That said, if you’re entering into new contracts in Belgium this year, it’s worth monitoring developments. If the reform passes, it would introduce a de facto probation period for the first time in mainstream Belgian employment practice.
Outplacement obligations
When you dismiss an employee who has more than six months of seniority, you’re required to provide outplacement support. This means access to professional career counselling to help the employee find a new position. The cost of outplacement is borne by the employer. It’s not optional and it’s not something you can offset against the notice payment.
Fixed-term contracts
Fixed-term contracts expire automatically at the end of the agreed term. No notice is required from either party when a fixed-term contract reaches its natural end date.
Terminating a fixed-term contract early is a different matter. If you end a fixed-term contract before it expires, the same notice periods as for indefinite contracts apply. Alternatively, you can pay wages in lieu of notice for the remainder of the notice period. Either way, early termination of a fixed-term contract carries the same cost as terminating an open-ended one.
Final pay and administrative obligations
When an employment contract ends, two administrative tasks are mandatory and neither can be left until later.
First, you must file a Dimona OUT notification with the ONSS/RSZ (the Belgian social security authority). This formally closes the employee’s registration in the social security system and must be submitted when the contract ends.
Second, you must settle all outstanding financial obligations in full. That includes any unpaid wages, accrued holiday pay, and any applicable compensation. You also need to issue the employee with a C4 unemployment certificate, which they’ll need to claim unemployment benefits. Failing to issue the C4 on time creates unnecessary risk.
Managing terminations in belgium through an EOR
Belgium’s termination rules are manageable once you understand them, but they require precise execution. Notice calculations, pre-2014 seniority adjustments, outplacement obligations, and Dimona filings all have to be handled correctly and on time.
For foreign companies without a Belgian entity, using an Employer of Record (EOR) is often the most practical path. An EOR employs your Belgian staff on your behalf and takes on full legal responsibility for compliance, including terminations. When a contract ends, the EOR handles the notice calculations, the Dimona OUT filing, the C4 issuance, and the final pay settlement. You avoid the need to set up a legal entity in Belgium while staying fully compliant with local law.
If you’re evaluating your options for Belgium, it’s worth reviewing what EOR services cover in practice before committing to a structure.
Book a demo to see how RemotePass handles compliant terminations in Belgium.
Frequently asked questions
How much notice does an employer have to give in belgium?
It depends on the employee’s seniority and when they were hired. Under the Eenheidsstatuut, notice for employees hired after January 1, 2014 ranges from 1 week (for employees with less than 3 months’ tenure) up to 24 weeks at 7 years, continuing to increase beyond that. Employees hired before 2014 have a two-part calculation that can result in longer notice entitlements.
Can you pay an employee instead of having them work their notice?
Yes. Belgian law allows employers to pay wages in lieu of notice, which ends the contract immediately. The payment must cover the full notice period, including all remuneration components the employee would have received.
Is there a probation period in belgium?
There’s no statutory probation period under Belgian law. Trial clauses are only available in specific sectors where a CLA explicitly provides for them. In most cases, you won’t have access to a trial period when hiring new employees.
What is a dimona out notification?
Dimona is Belgium’s electronic social security registration system. A Dimona OUT is the mandatory notification you must file with the ONSS/RSZ when an employment contract ends. It formally closes the employee’s social security registration and must be submitted at the time of termination.
