Belgium: Key Employment Law Legislative Changes
Belgium have introduced a number of employment law reforms which affect working time, part‑time employment, night work, notice periods and temporary work. Most of these changes will take effect from July 1st 2026.
While the reforms provide greater flexibility for employers in how work is structured, they will also require updates to existing policies and working practices.
Working Time and The Working Regulations
Currently, employers must set out fixed working schedules in their working regulations, including the start and end times of the working day, break times and days on which no work is performed.
Under the new legislation, employers can instead define a general working time framework rather than fixed schedules. This framework must specify the days on which work may be carried out, the daily time window for working, and the minimum and maximum daily and weekly hours.
This change allows employers to move away from rigid schedules and introduce more flexible working arrangements, provided that clear boundaries on working time are in place.
Part‑time Employment
The minimum working time threshold for part‑time employees is being reduced. Previously, part‑time roles had to represent at least one third of full‑time hours. The new rules allow part‑time contracts down to one tenth of full‑time hours.
This change will give employers greater flexibility in structuring roles, particularly for shorter or more variable working patterns.
Night Work
The prohibition on night work (meaning any work between 8pm and 6am) will be abolished under the new legislation. It allows employers to introduce night work without needing to rely on specific legal justifications.
Night work can be implemented through an amendment to the working regulations or via a company‑level collective agreement, simplifying the process for introducing evening or night operations.
In certain sectors, night work will be more narrowly defined as work between 11pm and 6am. For new hires from July 1st 2026, night work premiums will only apply during this reduced period.
Employees already in employment before this date will retain their existing entitlements under transitional rules.
Notice Periods
A statutory cap on notice periods is being introduced for new hires. For employment contracts entered into from July 1st 2026, notice periods on termination by the employer will be limited to a maximum of 52 weeks.
In practice, this means that after 17 years of seniority within the same company, the employee’s notice period will no longer increase and will be capped at 52 weeks.
Temporary Work
The formal requirement to confirm temporary agency contracts in writing at the outset is being removed. This simplifies the onboarding process for temporary workers.
It also means temporary workers will be able to terminate their contracts without notice or compensation during the first seven days of engagement, with this rule now applying across all forms of temporary work.
Practical Implications for Employers
These changes largely increase flexibility but will require employers to review and update existing arrangements. In particular, employers should consider whether their working regulations accurately reflect how work is organised, whether part‑time structures remain appropriate, and how night work is currently managed.
Early review and alignment will help ensure that organisations can take advantage of the increased flexibility while remaining compliant.
This is a high-level general update only. Legal advice should be obtained on specific circumstances.