Leave policy in Belgium 

Understanding the leave policy in Belgium is important for employers hiring in the country, as leave entitlements are closely regulated under Belgian labor law. 

Employees are entitled to specific types of leave, including annual vacation, public holidays, sick leave, and various forms of family-related leave, each with defined rules.

The leave laws in Belgium are structured and supported by a strong social security system, which often shares the cost of certain benefits. 

Employers must follow these requirements while managing their workforce and maintaining compliance.

This article explains Belgium’s leave policy and outlines what employers need to know to handle time-offs effectively and remain compliant.

Vacation & annual leave in Belgium  

If an employee in Belgium has been employed for the entire previous calendar year, they are entitled to 20 days of annual leave for which they shall be paid in full. 

Public holidays

Employees in Belgium get paid leave on 10 public holidays. All workplaces in Belgium usually remain closed on these days. 

The 10 public holidays in  Belgium are as follows:

• New Year’s Day
• Easter Monday 
• Labor Day
• Ascension Day
• Whit Monday
• Belgian National Day
• Assumption Day
• All Saints’ Day
• Armistice Day
• Christmas Day

Sick leave in Belgium  

Employees in Belgium are entitled to a leave of 30 days on account of sickness. During the first 30 days, the employer pays the guaranteed salary to the employees. 

For the sick leave to be registered, the employee must provide a medical certificate on the second day.

From the 31st day, the employees receive sickness benefits from the health insurance fund (mutualité/ziekenfonds). 

Maternity leave in Belgium  

Employers should grant a maternity leave of 15 weeks to female employees. Out of this, the employee can take 6 weeks’ leave before the birth of the child. 

However, it is mandatory that the employee take a week’s leave before childbirth. 

During this period, the employee shall be paid from the health insurance fund in the following manner:

• Employees receive 82% of their gross salary for the first 30 days. There is no upper limit to this.
• From the 31st day, employees shall receive 75% of their gross salary. This is typically capped.

Paternity leave in Belgium  

Employees in Belgium are entitled to 20 days of paternity leave, which can be taken either consecutively or in breaks. During this period, employers pay 100% salary for 3 days, after which employees receive a 82% of their pay from the health insurance fund.

Other types of leave in Belgium  

Employees in Belgium also receive some other kinds of leave. They are as follows:

Wedding leave

If the employee is getting married, they are entitled to 2 days of wedding leave. If a close family member is getting married, employees get 1 day of paid leave. 

Childcare leave

Belgian employees, who have spent at least a year in an organization, are entitled to special childcare leave for children who are younger than 12. 

Parental leave options include:

• 4 months at 100% (full‑time pay)
• 8 months at 50% pay
• 20 months at 20% pay

Compassionate leave

Employers should grant employees 10 days of paid leave on compassionate grounds, such as the death of a spouse or cohabiting partner, a child, or a foster child. In this case, the employee must take the first 3 days’ leave between the death and the funeral. 

The remaining 7 days’ leave must be taken within a year after the death. 

Explore Payoneer Workforce Management in Belgium  

Labor laws in Belgium make up a comprehensive framework for all the leaves that employees are entitled to, ranging from annual leave to public holidays, sick leave, maternity and paternity leave, and so on. 

All these leaves help with maintaining work-life balance and protect the rights of the employees.

To navigate and implement these requirements efficiently, businesses can get support from Payoneer Workforce Management. 

A unified solution like this can help streamline onboarding, compliance, payroll, and time-off management seamlessly across the global workforce. 

Book a demo today!

FAQs

1. How many days of holiday do you get in Belgium?

Employees in Belgium get an annual leave of 20 days for which they receive full payment. However, to avail this paid time off in Belgium, employees must have worked for the entire previous calendar year.

2. Are employees paid during sick leave in Belgium?

Yes, employees are paid during their sick leave. For the first 30 days, the payment is made by the employer, and from the 31st day, the payment is made from the employee’s health insurance fund. 

3. How is maternity leave paid in Belgium?

When an employee takes maternity leave in Belgium, she receives 82% salary for the first 30 days with no upper limit and 75% thereafter, which is subject to a daily cap. 

4. Does Belgium have 14 salaries?

No, Belgium does not have 14 salaries. Instead, employees typically receive a 13th-month salary, which is equal to one full month’s pay. To be eligible, an employee usually needs to have worked with the company for at least six months. If they have worked more than six months but less than a full year, they may receive a pro-rated amount. However, employees do get a holiday bonus at 92% of their salary, which is typically paid out in June.