Camp cancelled or child quarantined: temporary unemployment due to force majeure is possible

If the employee has to remain absent from work to take care of his child because a summer camp/organised child care is cancelled as a result of corona or because his child must be quarantined during the summer holidays, he may receive temporary unemployment benefits due to force majeure.

This is what the Minister of Employment has decided. Practical details can be found on the website of the ONEm/RVA.

Reminder! Until 31 December 2022, the employee also has the right to be absent from work and to apply for temporary unemployment benefits due to force majeure when he has to take care of his child for other reasons related to the coronavirus (see the website of the ONEm/RVA).

What specific situations are targeted during the summer holidays?

Temporary unemployment benefits due to force majeure are available when the employee must remain absent from work to care for his child in one of the following situations:

• the child was registered for a summer camp or organised child care during the summer holidays, but is unable to attend because the summer camp or organised child care was cancelled or terminated early because of the coronavirus,
• the child cannot attend the summer camp or organised child care where he was registered for during the summer holidays because he has to be quarantined because of the coronavirus.

Important note! For the same period of time, only one person who is cohabiting with the child can make use of temporary unemployment due to force majeure.

What are the formalities to be completed by the employee?

The employee who wishes to exercise this right must comply with the following obligations:

• inform his employer immediately;
• provide without delay to his employer the following documents:
  • the document "Child care summer holidays cancelled corona", if the child cannot attend the summer camp or organised child care for which he is registered because this camp or organised child care was cancelled or terminated early because of the coronavirus,
  • the document "Child care summer holidays quarantine corona", if the child cannot attend the summer camp or organised child care for which he is registered because he must be quarantined. This document must be accompanied by the child's quarantine certificate.

What formalities must be completed on behalf of the ONEm/RVA?

Since 1 July 2022, in order for the employee to be eligible for temporary unemployment benefits due to force majeure, the employer must:

• send an electronic notice of temporary unemployment due to force majeure, together with the required supporting documents (depending on the situation: “Child care summer holidays cancelled corona” or “Child care summer holidays quarantine corona”).
• submit a ‘Social Risk Declaration scenario 5' at the end of the month.

The employer does not have to issue a check form C3.2A or submit a social risk declaration (DRS/ASR) scenario 2.

Amount of the unemployment benefit

Since 1 July 2022, the temporary unemployment benefit is 65% again (and no longer 70%) of the capped wage (€3,014.78 per month). Moreover, there is no longer a supplement to the benefit.

Source: ONEm/RVA.