Belgian workers’ holiday entitlement rules are under scrutiny as new proposals aim to align them with EU standards. Unlike most other EU countries, Belgium bases statutory holiday days on the previous year’s work, a system that often leaves young employees and job changers without immediate holiday rights. On 2025-07-16 00:38:00, the Belgian Chamber of Social Affairs discussed a bill to modernize these rules.
- Belgian workers earn vacation days retroactively
- Youths lack automatic vacation rights initially
- N-VA proposes vacation accrual reform
- Simplifies vacation pay disbursement process
- Reform aims to reduce administrative burden
- Aligns Belgian law with EU directives
The proposed changes would allow employees to accrue holiday days during the current working year, simplifying the process and bringing Belgium in line with European directives. This reform also promises a more straightforward payment of holiday pay, which currently differs between workers and employees.
How will these changes impact Belgian workers and employers? The answers lie in the details of the new system and its potential benefits for all parties involved.
Why has Belgium stuck with the previous-year holiday accrual system, and what problems does it cause? The current setup means:
- Young workers starting their first job have no automatic holiday entitlement and rely on youth leave with reduced pay (65% of gross salary).
- Employees who change jobs may lose holiday rights in their first year of new employment.
- Holiday pay is paid differently: employees receive it directly, while workers get it through complex intermediaries like the National Holiday Service.
- Belgium has faced criticism from European institutions for not complying with EU holiday regulations.
As Belgium moves toward adopting these changes, employers and workers alike should prepare for a smoother holiday entitlement system. Will this reform pave the way for fairer work conditions? The coming months will reveal how these proposals transform Belgian labour law.
