05/04/2018
Change in notice periods
What was the deal again?
In 2014, the so-called unified status was implemented in Belgium. This law altered the terms of notice that up until then had to be taken into account by employers and employees wishing to end an employment contract.
The unified status in a nutshell
- The calculation of the notice period is based solely on the seniority of the employee with that particular employer.
- Equal notice periods for blue collars, white collars and servants
- Elimination of the trial period (except for students) and of temporary work
On March 30, 2018, the law regarding the reinforcement of economic growth and social cohesion was published in the Belgian State Gazette. This law introduces a change in the notice periods to be taken into account when the employer wants to dismiss the employee during the first months of employment, in accordance with the below overview.
| Seniority | Current notice period | Future notice period |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 3 months | 2 weeks | 1 week |
| 3 to 4 months | 4 weeks | 3 weeks |
| 4 to 5 months | 4 weeks | 4 weeks |
| 5 to 6 months | 4 weeks | 5 weeks |
As of May 1, 2018, employers will have to respect these new terms of notice when letting go of an employee in the first 6 months of the employment.
