JIC 200: bicycle allowance and impact COVID-19 on eco vouchers and yearly premium
As of July 1, 2020, a couple of changes apply in joint industrial committee 200 (JIC 200) when it comes to the employer contribution in the commuting travel. As June is also the month in which the eco vouchers and the annual premium are being paid, we’d like to inform you on what the impact of temporary unemployment might be on these benefits.
Bicycle allowance
As of July 1, 2020, a mandatory bicycle allowance of €0,10 is due per actual cycled kilometer (maximum 40 km per day round trip). This bicycle allowance is only due for employees who use their bike on a regular basis for their commuting travel and cannot be combined with other contributions to support the commuting travel, with the exception of the employer contribution for public transport.
Employees who wish to claim the bicycle allowance will need to provide their employer with a signed declaration stating that they regularly use the bike for commuting travel.
Public transport, other than the train
Up to now, an employer had to contribute to the cost of the employee for the use of public transport other than the train for commuting travel, if the distance between home and work was at least 3 kilometers.
On July 1, 2020, this minimum distance will be decreased to 1 kilometer.
Impact temporary unemployment Corona on yearly premium and eco vouchers
The month of June is the month when the eco vouchers are granted and the annual premium foreseen in JIC 200 is paid, unless the employer decided to replace these benefits by providing an equivalent benefit on company level.
In order to determine whether the employees are entitled to the full amount of eco vouchers (€250) or the full annual premium (€265,12), one needs to look at the working days of the employee performed between June 1, 2019 and May 31, 2020 (the reference period). Some of the employee’s absences in that period will be considered as days worked, whereas other absences will not be assimilated.
The days of temporary unemployment force majeure due to Corona are not assimilated for the calculation of the annual premium and the eco vouchers, resulting in a possible decrease of the amounts based on the number of days of temporary unemployment in the reference period.
The employer can nevertheless decide on a company level to assimilate the period of temporary unemployment to actual days of work.
Points of action?
- Check which employees cycle to work and ask them to provide you with a written declaration concerning their commuting travel by bike and the distance they cycle.
- Check whether you have employees travelling less than 3 kilometers to work and whether they are entitled to a contribution in their costs for public transport.
- Inform your Payroll Business Partner if there are employees who are entitled to a bicycle allowance or an employer contribution for public transport.
- Inform your Payroll Business Partner if you wish to assimilate periods of temporary unemployment force majeure due to Corona for the entitlement to eco vouchers or the yearly premium. Without feedback from your side, the rules as provided for by the collective labour agreements will be applied.
