Doing business in Belgium: Staff welfare
28 February 2012by Ina Dimireva -- last modified 30 March 2012
Social legislation in Belgium prohibits discrimination and advocates equal opportunity and gender equality. Employers are responsible for promoting welfare within the company.
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Legal requirements
Social rules
Non-discrimination, equal opportunity and gender equality
The Law of 10 May 2007 prohibits discrimination based on age, sexual orientation, marital status, birth, wealth, religious or philosophical beliefs, political convictions, language, current or future health status, disability, physical or genetic characteristics or social origin.
Law striving to combat certain forms of discrimination
The Centre for Equal Opportunities and Opposition to Racism and the Institute for Equality of the Sexes are the competent authorities concerning matters of discrimination.
Centre for Equal Opportunities and Opposition to Racism
Institute for Equality of the Sexes
Labour Law
Protection of workers
It is the responsibility of every employer to promote welfare within their company, from risk prevention and collective and individual means of protection, to training and information for workers.
The following institutions have been established to ensure the welfare of workers:
Public Service for Employment, Labour and Social Dialogue
BeSWIC - the Belgian Safe Work Information Centre
Social security covers the following risks:
- unemployment, via the National Employment Office (ONEM);
- pensions, via the National Pension Office (ONP);
- sickness, via the worker's mutual insurance company;
- disability, via the worker's mutual insurance company;
- family allowances, via the employer's family allowance fund;
- occupational sickness (Fund for occupational diseases - FMP);
- occupational accidents (Fund for occupational accidents - FAT).
National Sickness and Invalidity Insurance Institution
National Office for Family Allowances for Wage Earners
Fund for occupational diseases
Fund for occupational accidents
The National Social Security Office (NSSO) collects and administers payroll taxes and employment taxes.
The National Social Security Office
Mandatory social rules complete the requirements related to managing staff.
Businesses are free to go beyond the minimum social legal requirements at their own initiative.
Administrative procedures
Non-discrimination, equal opportunity and gender equality
The Centre for Equal Opportunities and Opposition to Racism and the Institute for Equality of the Sexes may be consulted in the event of a dispute involving discrimination.Institute for Equality of the Sexes
Social security
The immediate declaration of employment or Dimona is an electronic message used by employers to notify the NSSO of employees joining and leaving their staff.
Declarations, contributions and requirements - NSSO
Employers are required to insure their personnel against the risk of accidents in the workplace as of the first day on the job. The Fund for occupational accidents verifies compliance with this regulation.
Fund for occupational accidents
As an employer, you are required to report any accident likely to be subject to laws on occupational accidents to the insurer you have selected to cover the risk.
Types of accidents to be reported
Timeframe for accident reporting
Source: European Commission