Agreement on labour market reform: which measures have been announced?

Last night, the inner cabinet reached an agreement on labour market reform, and more specifically on making work more flexible.

An overview of the key measures from the so-called labour deal reached by the inner cabinet:

• 4-day working week or alternating working week pattern: possibility for the employee to spread the full-time weekly working hours over 4 days per week or to opt for an alternating working week pattern (in this case, the employee will work more hours one week and less hours the next); the employer's agreement will be required;
• e-commerce and night work: possibility to introduce working between 8 p.m. and midnight in e-commerce through a collective labour agreement (this will be an experiment that will be evaluated after a certain period);
• the right to disconnect: introduction of a right to disconnect for employees;
• individual right to training: introduction of an individual right to training for the employee, i.e. 3 days in 2022, 4 days in 2023 and 5 days from 2024 onwards; the employer (except small SMEs) will have to establish a training plan;
• guidance for dismissed employees: the possibility, for dismissed employees, to start working for another employer during their notice period or, in case of payment of severance pay for a long notice period, to convert part of that pay into a 'training package';
• platform economy workers: adapting legislation to ensure better protection of platform economy workers (social status, accident cover, etc.);
• addressing bottleneck occupations and enhancing interregional mobility of employees: setting up of an interfederal platform.

Important note! These measures still have to be transposed into legal or regulatory texts.

We will keep you updated as soon as we have more details.

Source: press