Coronavirus: the Walloon Region supports artists

The Walloon Region has decided to widen and relax access to the existing "Impulsion 12 mois +" scheme for artists.

The "Impulsion 12 mois +" scheme is a Walloon employment measure in the form of an activation of unemployment benefits. To be eligible, the recruited person must be registered as a job-seeker who has been unemployed for at least 12 months.

In the context of the COVID-19 crisis, the Walloon Region allows artists who were registered with the Forem as unemployed job-seekers the day before their recruitment and who obtained a contract, even for a short period, in the preceding year, i.e. the 12 months prior to their new recruitment, to open up the right to the "Impulsion 12 mois +" scheme, even if they were no longer unemployed job-seekers for 12 months. 

The employer can then deduct the amount of the activation of unemployment benefits from their net salary, i.e:

• maximum € 500/month in the 1st year
• maximum € 250/month in the following 6 months
• maximum € 125/month in the following 6 months

So the advantage is degressive over a period of 2 years.

This extension of the measure applies to the recruitment of artists between 1 June 2020 and 30 June 2021.

Source: Special Powers Decree of the Walloon Government No 51 of 16 June 2020 concerning the COVID-19 phasing-out measures on employment and socio-professional integration, including social economy, Belgian Official Gazette 26.06.2020.